


Tord in School (Soulmate AU)

by jackinthebox123



Category: Eddsworld
Genre: He's spoiled now, M/M, Middle School, New kid Tord, Oh also, Paul and Patryck mother hens, SERIOUSLY IF YOU WANT HAPPY FEELS READ THIS, Shy Tord, Soulmate AU, fluffy as all get out, is sad, narcissistic Matt - Freeform, some abuse mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-14 05:34:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11201517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackinthebox123/pseuds/jackinthebox123
Summary: I'm so happy to write this it's so cute.I love young Tord fanfictions, and I love soulmate au. So I combined it.





	1. Tord's First Day of School

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so happy to write this it's so cute.  
> I love young Tord fanfictions, and I love soulmate au. So I combined it.

Tord was going to school for the first time. His entire childhood he'd been home schooled, and abused. When Paul had found him on the streets one day, covered in bruises, trying to run away, he'd taken to him immediately. He filed a court form and eventually got him out of his house. For a little while he stayed in an orphanage, while Paul tried to figure out how to adopt him.  
Then Paul had met Patryck, and everything changed.  
Paul and Patryck had actually known each other before they met. How? They wouldn't tell him.  
He figured they were either embarrassed or sheltering him, so he didn't push it.  
They'd dated for a while, then a year after Tord was put in the orphanage they finally got all the paperwork done and gotten a house, and they adopted him.  
This was his first time going to a public school. In BRITAIN, no less. They had moved there a couple years ago, and as Tord hadn't felt comfortable around people yet.  
This year he'd begged. And thy agreed wholeheartedly.  
So Tord, eleven years old with his favorite robotic looking backpack, looked up at the double doors of his new middle school, shivering slightly with fear but also really excited. He'd finally be the normal kid. Also the new kid.  
Hopefully his fear of loud or sudden noises wouldn't come into play here.  
He took a step inside, then remembered his schedule, which told him where to go. He consulted it, not quite understanding the weird number letter combination. Should he ask someone? Not an adult, he didn't trust any adults but his dad's.  
He looked up, then saw a sign saying “A Hall.” Another sign said “Cafeteria” on the other side of the hallway.  
He slowly made his way down, seeing the alphabetical order of things, and stopped at “D Hall.”  
Suddenly he was slammed from behind, and fell, dropping his backpack on the floor and his water bottle, which he always carried around. The kid ran straight past while another kneeled down next to the shocked red hoodied boy. “Are you okay?” He looked up and shouted angrily, “COME BACK HERE AND APOLOGIZE, EDWARDO!!”  
He looked down at Tord, who stared at the green shirt boy with wide eyes.  
“Sorry, he's always like that. My names Edd. You want help up?”  
Tord shook his head and sat up, crisscrossing his legs and picking up his water bottle. He hesitated, then handed the nice boy his schedule. “I don't get it.”  
“Don't get what?”  
“What do the numbers mean?”  
Edd looked over his paper, then grinned. “We have three of the same classes together! Uh, the numbers are your room number. You want me to take you to your first class? Then I have to run, I don't want to disappoint my teachers by being late on the first day of school.”  
Tord nodded quickly at the offer, and Edd held out a hand to help him up. He ignored the hand, preferring not to be touched. Edd smiled at him then started walking, and Tord followed. They went into D Hall, and all the way down to room 112.  
“I'll come meet you and take you to your next class. Just wait outside the door for me, kay? Uh, well, you are new right? I just realized it might be awkward to have you wait if you weren't.”  
Tord shook his head quickly. “No, I'm new.”  
“Okay. See you- uh, what's your name?”  
“Tord.”  
“See you, Tord.” Edd waved, then jogged off.  
Tord nodded absently and walked inside. He stood awkwardly for a minute before the teacher looked over and told him to pick a seat anywhere. He sat in the back corner, and a minute or so later a boy plopped down next to him, setting a mirror on his desk and plopping his purple backpack next to his desk. Tord didn't realize he was staring at the kids mirror till the boy looked over.  
“Do you need something?”  
Tord shook his head quickly and looked up at the front. The boy stared for a second, then smiled. “My names Matt. I think I'm really pretty.”  
Tord raises an eyebrow, looking back at him.  
“My, hair, you see. Its very nice looking. And my chin is to die for.”  
The red hoodied boy snickered, then mumbled, “my names Tord.”  
Matt tilts his head. “What? I didn't hear you.”  
“I said my name's Tord.” He repeats, slightly louder. Matt grins. “You sound funny. Are you from here?”  
Tord blushes slightly and shakes his head, then glances to the front of the classroom when the teacher tells everyone to quiet down.  
“Alright class, I'm going to go over what this school year will be like, here in math.”  
Tord pays strict attention for the first fifteen minutes, but after a little bit he started to daze out. They were more boring than Paul and Patryck always taught him. They understood his ADD more.  
He grabbed his favorite pen and started to doodle on his hand.  
He'd had the same pen since he was five. When it ran out of ink he still carried it around, and Paul and Patryck bought him the same kind of pen every time it dried out so he could replace the ink. The outside had a bit of wear and tear, but it still looked cool.  
It was red, with a robot head at the end of his pen.  
He doodled on the desk, then looked up quickly when the teacher called his name.  
“Please don't write on the desks. I know you're new, but we like to keep those clean.”  
Tord blushed and quickly said “Yes Ma'am.”  
“Please, just call me Mrs. Garcia.”  
Tord nodded and she went back to whatever she was saying. When Tord zoned out again, he started doodling on his arm instead. He had a notebook in his backpack, but he never did anything normally and liked the challenge of writing on his skin.  
Matt leaned over and whispered, “What are you drawing?”  
Tord blushed and hid his arm. “Nothing. Just robots.”  
“You like robots?”  
Tord nods, and glances over at him. “What do you like?”  
“Me.”  
Tord snickered and the teacher looked up. “Hey, please pay attention.”  
Tord nods and after a couple minutes, Matt leans over again. “You wanna be friends?”  
Tord stared at him in surprise. “You want to be friends with me?”  
Matt nodded and grinned. “I like you, you don't talk too much. So I get to talk more.”  
Tord smiled and nodded. This is what he wanted, to be a normal kid with normal friends. He looked back down at his arm, then noticed that everything was scribbled over. He must've done it without noticing.  
His watch, a birthday gift from Paul, told him that class was about to be over. So he put his pen away and picked up his bag.  
“Do you…” Tord stared at Matt, working up his courage. “Do you want to meet another fr- acquaintance of mine?”  
Matt shrugged. “Sure. What's his name?”  
“Edd.”  
“Oh I've heard of him. Never talked to him though. He was in my Science class last year.” Matt shivered. “The teacher was so strict. When can I meet him?”  
“I'm meeting him at the door.”  
“Sure.”  
Tord smiled, but when the bell rang he was startled so bad he jumped, hitting his hip painfully on the table. He winced and put a hand on his hip.  
“You want me to cause your bag for you? If I have one bag on my right arm, and one on my left, I can have equal biceps.”  
Tord shrugs, and Matt picked up his light backpack, then started to do reps, as though trying to impress Tord. He snickered a little and grabbed his water bottle and schedule.  
“Hey can you get my mirror?” Tord grabbed it for him and they walked to the door, where Edd was already waiting.  
“Hi Tord. Oh hi Matt, you're in his class?”  
“Haha yep! I'm his friend now! Look at me, I have muscles!” He does the same thing and Edd rolls his eyes. “Whatever muscle man. Are you coming with me and my friend? You have his stuff, after all.”  
Matt shrugged. “Sure.” And they began to walk Tord to his next class.


	2. Bullying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom is introduced, and a bickering relationship begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so fun to write.

Tord had his next class with Edd, and the teacher was more monotone than the last. He caught Tord and Edd whispering a couple times, and they quickly became closer friends.   
After a while though conversation topics ran out, so Tord began doodling on his arm again. He licked his thumb and wiped away the other pictures, but the scribbles over them didn't go away. He sighed and realized someone must have drawn on his arm with permanent marker. How did he not notice? He tried to remember the person sitting in front of him in his first class. It was some girl.  
It didn't matter too much. Tord let it go.  
He drew more elaborately this time, drawing a robot head with metal plates to look like his hair spikes.  
Edd glanced at his drawing, then at him. “I was wondering, why is your hair like that?”  
Tord shrugged. “I like it, looks like horns.”  
Edd nodded, then got back to his comic. Tord watched him draw for a little bit, laughing quietly at his comic. It was about him fighting the Edwardo kid in a superhero battle, and Tord was drawn in it, as his sidekick.  
When he looks back at his arm, it's scribbled over again. He frowns. He liked that picture. Was the same kid in this class?  
He looked around, but there were at least five people that were in his last class.  
He leaned over to Edd and whispered, “Did a kid come and draw on me?”  
Edd glances at him then around, before shrugging. “I dunno. I zone out when I'm drawing.”  
Tord nods and puts his head on his hand, leaning on his desk.  
“Maybe it's your whole soulmate thing.” Edd mumbles, before going back to his drawing. Tord glances over at him. “What soulmate thing?”  
“You don't know?” Tord shook his head, head tilted curiously.  
“Ask your mom or something, its complicated.”  
“I don't have a mom. I have dads.”  
Edd raised his eyebrows and stared at him for a moment. “Alright then. Ask one of them.”  
Tord nodded and stared off into space, tapping his pen on his desk. When the bell rang again he jumped again, once again knocking his hip on the desk.  
“You okay?” Edd asked, holding his bag up for him. Tord nodded and took it from his friends hand, putting it on.   
“I'll take you to your next class. After that we have lunch. Do you want to sit with me and Tom?”  
Tord nodded quickly. Looks like he didn't have to worry about where to sit at lunch. “Can Matt come too?”  
“Sure.”  
Tord smiled and grabbed his schedule.  
“Ahhh you have PE next. I'm so sorry. Coach David is the absolute worst.” Tord glances at Edd nervously as they walk out of the room.   
“Hope you have a sub. Luckily they never do anything on the first day. Alright, my class is on the other side of the school, so here.” He takes Tord out to the main hallway and points. He was taller than Tord, so he had to lean down to talk to him, or Tord wouldn't hear.  
“See the sign that says ‘library’? The gym is on the other side of that.”  
Tord nods for the millionth time that day, and Edd holds up a hand for a high five. Tord hesitates, then lightly taps his hand against Edd’s and walks away. He walked in the huge gym, and stood at the doorway for a second, thinking. Should he ask the teacher? Or mill around in the group of kids, who just stood in a crowd, most hanging out with their friends. Tord just leaned against the wall, then got out his notebook, sat on the floor, and began drawing again.  
Suddenly his notebook was kicked out of his hand, ripping the page he was working on and scattering his pen and notebook across the floor. He looked up to see the same guy who had run into him that morning standing over him.  
“Hey loser. You the new kid?”  
Tord just stared him in the eyes and didn't answer, then started to grab for his notebook. But the bully didn't let him, stepping on his pen.  
“Don't break it.” Tord mumbled, and Eduardo picked it up, twirling. “Why not, loser? Why do you hang out with losers like Edd?”  
Tord shook his head and held out his hand for his pen. Eduardo snickered and held it out of reach. “Here's to establishing the pecking order. I'm numero uno, hear me? Listen to me and you might survive this school. So ditch your idiot friends and be my minion instead. And stop drawing in that notebook, it's girly.”  
“I don't care.” Tord mumbles, just wanting his pen back. Eduardo narrows his eyes, then puts his hands on either side of the pen, about to snap it in half. “What?”  
Suddenly Eduardo was pushed aside, and a boy in a blue faced away from Tord, pushing Eduardo away. “Leave him alone. Just because he's new doesn't mean you have to put your ugly presence in his face.” Eduardo narrowed his eyes and takes a step back, obviously not wanting to mess with this new stranger.  
“Fine. Have your loser pen back.” He chucks it at Tord, and it hits his forehead. He winces and holds his head, then quickly grabs the pen and stuffs it in his pocket.  
The blue hoodied boy turned around to face him, and Tord’s widened. “What's wrong with your eyes?!”  
The boy narrowed said eyes. “I don't like you. I may have saved you from bullies but you should be able to stand up for yourself.”  
Tord narrowed his eyes, stung. “I was doing fine before you butted in. Why are your eyes black?”  
“You're weird, and that's a rude thing to ask. What's wrong with your voice?”  
Tord sighed, and hugged his bag to his side. “It's okay, I already have friends. You can leave me alone now.”  
The boy snorted and turned away, and as he walked away he called over his shoulder, “You can save yourself next time, big guy.”  
Tord narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out, then starts drawing again. If Eduardo bothered him again, he'd fight him.  
Just because Tord was shy didn't mean he didn't get angry.  
The coach didn't care who liked who. Tord was sitting behind the blue hoodied boy, though luckily Eduardo was far away. By the end of it, Tord had annoyed the boy so much that the teacher had to separate them. They didn't do anything in PE on the first day, and yet even so Tord threw crumpled paper notes at him, that said random things like so;  
“Hi”  
“Want my number?”  
“Let's be friends”  
“Do you even have eyes?”  
“Do you want me to write in Norwegian?”  
“Spis sokken min”  
It bugged the boy. Finally the bell rang again, startling Tord once again, and the black eyed boy came by and poked a finger into his chest. “You do not want me as your enemy. I have a reputation here.”  
Tord sniggered. “The eyeless wonder?”  
He growled and flicked his forehead, and walked away. Tord smiled. This year was going to be fun, he had the friends and the enemies to keep him busy.  
And maybe this soulmate thing, if Edd wasn't pulling his leg.  
He walked into the cafeteria, looking around for the familiar green shirted boy, and purple hoodie.  
He quickly found them and made his way toward them, plopping his stuff next to Matt,who had Edd on his other side. And someone sat on Edd's other side.  
Someone in a blue hoodie.  
“You're friends with them?” Tord asked, surprised.  
He narrowed his eyes. “Just perfect. What scum did you pick up off the street this time, Edd?”  
“Come on, Tom. Don't be like that. What's on your arm?”  
Tom quickly rolled his sleeve down, having been looking at some mark. “Nothing. Just my soulmate being rude. I was trying to see if there was some way to cover it up before I get home, so my mom doesn't think I was drawing on myself. I don't know why it bothers her so much, just because her soulmate died. It's not like I even want one.”  
He grumpily picked at his packed lunch, some sort of bento box.   
“What do you have for lunch, Tord?”  
Tord blushed. He'd left his lunch at home, on the counter. Patryck was definitely going to get onto him for that when he got home. “Nothing.”   
“Oh, are you buying lunch?”  
Tord shook his head. He didn't have money for it. Maybe he'd ask his dad’s about that.  
“It's okay, you can have mine.” Edd offers, handing him a couple dollars. Tord just looks at it, then up at him. “Are you sure?”  
He nods.  
Tord smiled at Edd, and looked over, daunted by the line. He shook his head and stood, and Matt stood with him. “I'll go help you order.”  
Tord smiled gratefully at him and they walk together to the lunch line.  
When he goes to the line and rolls up his sleeves to hold his tray, he sees a line of writing on his arm.  
“Are you my soulmate or whatever?”  
Thoroughly freaked out, he rolled his sleeves back, almost covering his hands completely. A couple minutes later, it was wiped away, as he would discover later that day, after much bickering with Tom and Edd and Matt realizing they'd have to deal with this from now on.  
At the end of the day, Tord left school with one question in his mind.  
“What is a soulmate, and who is drawing on my arm?”  
Looks like it was time for… THE TALK!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare to meet Tord's dad's.


	3. First Conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is cuuuuuuute  
> Too fluff  
> Time for my darker fic :P

Tord waits on the curb for his car.  
It looks so much more different than the other cars.  
It could be because it's not a car, it's their mecha.  
And it couldn't move because it was the most popular, thing in the parking lot. Tord stood when he saw it, eyes narrowed. Their car needed to be replaced, so it was probably in the shop today.  
Still, they didn't have to bring the mecha.   
Wasn’t their job supposed to be a secret?  
He sighed and picked up his things, walking toward the two spider legged cockpit.  
The stairs were already down, and Paul and Patryck were standing outside of it, smirking as the mechanic was turned into a museum.  
Tord tugged at Paul's arm.   
“Pa, do you have to? Can we just go already?”  
“Come on Tordie, they love it.”  
“Don't call me that. Jeg er sliten, jeg vil gå hjem.” I'm tired, I want to go home.  
Paul ruffled his hair, and Tord grumpily shoved his head away.  
“Om et øyeblikk” In a minute.  
Patryck took matters into his own hands and shooed everyone out.  
“Hvorfor stoler du på dem med det?” Why do you trust them with that?  
“Barnesikring” Childproof.  
Tord snorts, then steps forward and gets into the cockpit, Paul and Patryck following soon after and closing the door.  
They speak Norwegian the whole time.  
“Can I drive?”  
“No, you have to get a license.”  
“Darn.”  
Paul turned back in the passenger's seat. “How was school?”  
“Boring. I made a couple friends, and a couple enemies.”  
“Let me guess, you egged them on.”  
“Only one of them. Tom. Eduardo is just mean.”  
“Ugh. Don't get into any fights, or we can pull you out.”  
“Why did you bring the mecha? Don't you have a motorcycle?”  
“We lent it to a friend in the army.”  
“You should've lent them the mecha instead of taking it to school. I was trying not to be well known.”  
Patryck laughed. “Well, now you're popular. The boy with a mecha and two dads.”  
“Whatever.” He’s quiet for a moment, then asks, “What's a soulmate.”  
They're quiet for a moment, then Paul laughs, loudly. Patryck seemed embarrassed. “Shut up Paul. We’ll talk about it later.”  
“You'll talk about it later. Remember?”  
Patryck shook his head, laughing a little.  
“We should've known he'd learn about it soon.”  
Tord pouts in the back. “Stop talking about me like I'm not here.”  
“We’ll tell you when we get home.”  
Paul punches him lightly in the shoulder. “He will. Not me.”  
Tord sighs and sits back. They must have come in the middle of a date or something. They were flirting again.  
As soon as they got home in the underground garage, Tord hopped out and went to his room to set his stuff down, and set his homework on his desk. He stuck his tongue out. Giving homework out on the first day. A teacher's taboo.  
He looked at his arm, but there wasn't anymore writing. He felt oddly disappointed, and took a pen out of his pocket. It wouldn’t be embarrassing if he was wrong, as long as no one saw it.  
“Maybe,” he wrote. He'd write more later. Possibly.  
He quickly washed it off, embarrassed. It was stupid.   
He went out and saw Patryck sitting on the couch, Paul smirking with his arms crossed next to him.  
Paul’d had to give the sex talk, it was Patryck's turn to give the soulmate talk.   
Tord sat in a comfy chair across from them, kinda nervous. Was this going to be awkward as well?  
“So, how did you hear about soulmates?”  
“Uh, well I was drawing on my arm, and scribbles kept covering it. Then Tom was talking about it, but I forgot what he said, except that he was annoyed at his soulmate for whatever reason.”  
He waited as Patryck thought for a moment.  
“Okay, so I'm going to start by saying that everybody has one, but a lot of people decide not to pursue theirs, because of how unlikely it is that they live nearby. I was lucky because even though we lived kinda far, he was willing to meet.”  
“Who?”  
Patryck glances at Paul. “Uh, Paul.”  
“Wait you two are soulmates?”  
“Yeah.”  
“So what IS it?”  
Patryck taps his fingers, thinking. “It's like, your perfect match? Destined to be together?”  
Paul shakes his head and sighs.  
“Well fine then you tell him.”  
“No.”  
“Then shut up.”  
Paul rolls his eyes.  
“So anyway yeah it's a couple that, if they're willing to meet, would be a perfect match. Or whatever.”  
“So it’s a love thing?”  
“Ehm, yeah.”  
“Okay.”  
“Anyway one last thing then I'll take questions. So the way you find your soulmate is kinda odd. Anything that gets on their skin gets on yours. And only the person who got the ink, or blood, or whatever on their skin, can take it off. So if they write and don't wash it off, it's stuck on you. That's probably why they scribbled over.”  
Tord narrows his eyes. That was weird.  
“Okay. Cool. Should I write a note to them?”  
“Uh, I'll let you decide about that, if you want to talk to your soulmate. Just don't let them tempt you into something wrong. They are human, after all.” He ruffles Tord's hair. Tord grumbles at him but glances at his arm, planning what to say.  
Turns out he didn't need to yet. His soulmate had already written him back.  
“Thanks for erasing, I’m not really allowed…” it was being wiped away.  
Tord quickly got his pen and hesitated before writing back, in the crook of his elbow.  
“Can I write now?”  
He stood up and walked to his room, uncomfortable with Paul and Patryck staring at him, and watched as words scrawled across his arm.   
“Yeah, my mom left for work at the bowling alley.”  
“Oh. Hold on…”  
“K”  
Tord stood up and walked into the bathroom, getting a towel and wetting it, washing the ink away.  
He sees the other person do the same.  
He writes on his arm. “Do we say things about ourselves?”  
“Not yet, it's kinda taboo.”  
Erase.  
Tord writes, “Can I ask what age?”  
“Sure, I'm 12. You?”  
“11. Cool, is it always so close?”  
Erase.  
“No, I know someone who’s soulmate was ten years older.”  
“Weird. Where do you live?”  
“Can't say yet…”  
“Country? Continent? I won't push if-”  
“UK.”  
“Oh cool. Maybe we could meet someday”  
Erase. Tord liked that they didn't awkwardly run out of topics. He quickly scrawls the question he was most worried about, especially after saying that. There was visual silence on the other end.  
“Do you want to meet?”  
“Yeah, someday. Sorry, thought mom came home”  
Erase.  
“I want to know you better.”  
“Me too.”  
Tord smiled, trying to work up an image in his mind.  
She'd be pretty, with wavy…  
“What gender are you?” He sees, written on his arm.  
“Uh guy. You're a girl right?”  
“Ha! No. Been gay always.”  
Tord blushed. What an odd turn of events. He had been pretty sure he was straight, despite how he was raised.  
His soulmate was a guy?  
Did it matter? Said the condescending voice in his head.  
“Sorry. I thought I was stra-” he quickly erased it. “Oh. Okay cool.” He writes instead. Too late.  
“Ha. Welp, time to come out to your parents.”  
Tord rolls his eyes… smiling a bit. He liked the guy on the other side.  
Suddenly quick messy writing showed up. “Gtg mom back” and disappears. Tord looks kind of disappointed and stands up, walking back into the living room.   
Paul and Patryck look over at him, Patrycks arm over the other as they watch a movie, Paul curled up against his side cutely.  
Tord sticks his tongue out in disgust. “Eww you're flirting.”  
“How'd it go?”  
Tord glances at his arm. “It's really weird. He's nice though.”  
“He? Ha! I knew we'd raised you right.” Patryck laughs, waving a hand. “What he means is that we wouldn't have judged either way, and we're glad you got to talk to him. Is there going to be more conversation?”  
“Probably. I don’t know, he can't talk when his moms home for some reason.”  
“Yeah.” Paul speaks up. “Some people are discriminative against soulmates, and believe you should find someone the ‘natural way’. Pat and I are hardly natural, though, are we?”  
Patryck shook his head and smiled. “Alright, Tord. Now you know, you can do what you want. Tell us if you want to meet him though, we will be there when you do.”  
Tord nods and smiles. He always loved how his parents were so free and accepting.  
He went to sleep that night, happily imagining talking to him again...


	4. Morning Routine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished at 12am  
> Don't judge.  
> Yay.

Tord woke up in the morning to a list scrawled on his arm. More of a schedule, and a note.  
“Before school, till 7:30 DON’T WRITE  
During school is fine, till 3:30. After that only write if I write you.   
My mom’s soulmate was blown up by a bear with a gun, so she doesn't like reminders. That's why.  
Kinda personal info, sorry.”  
Tord grinned then frowned. That was sad.  
“Sorry.” He wrote back.  
“It's… okay. I'm over it now.”  
The response came almost immediately, them all of it was erased, and Tord wipes away his ink.  
He was so curious. What would his ideal soulmate be like?  
He grinned, and took out his notebook. This made him have a really good idea about how to take over the world.  
He quickly stood up when he saw the alarm clock, and turned it off before it could ring.   
5:30, that was later than normal.  
Tord put on his mini military jacket, and grabbed his bag. He put his water bottle in his backpack this time, and carried his notebook. Then he spotted the homework on his desk.  
Oh yeah.  
He grabbed it and stuffed it in his bag, and goes out to eat breakfast with his dad's. Paul greeted him with a grin and a hair ruffle.  
Tord shoves his hand away, grumpy. “Stop it. Sorry I'm late.”  
“It's okay Tordie. Leader will understand.”  
“I wanna be Leader someday.”  
Patryck raises an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to be king of the world.”  
Tord shrugs, taking a bite of his toast. “Nah,” he says, mouth full of food. “I can be leader of the world. I'll be Red Leader, and my soulmate can be Blue Leader. Or purple, if he doesn't like blue.”  
Patryck laughs. “You're really happy about your soulmate, huh?”  
Tord blushes and looks away. “No.”  
“Haha, yeah you are.” Paul wipes his cheek of crumbs, and Tord pulls his head away. “Stop.” He wipes his own mouth. “I'm not a baby.”  
“We know you're not. We just wish you were.”  
“Why?” Tord looks kinda hurt.  
“Because you could be our baby. Now you're growing up.”  
Tord narrows his eyes. “I'm not a baby.”  
“I know.” Pat smiles a little sadly, eating his food. “Now you're a big boy.”  
“You bet I am. Hey, you can be in my army when I'm all grown up. Then you won't be sad. You'll be my right hand man,” he says, pointing at Paul. “And you'll be my left hand man.” He points at Patryck. “Now, it's time to go. Leader might get mad if you're late again, and I don't want you to get in trouble.”  
He hops off the chair and grabs his backpack, and his notebook, and gets in the mecha. He wasn't as embarrassed when going to his dad's work with it. It wasn't as impressive there.  
What Tord really wanted was his own tank. That would be really cool to drive to school.  
The only reason they didn't was because apparently it was illegal.  
So was taking their child to work, but Leader made an exception for Tord.  
Tord grinned. He couldn't wait to challenge him for leadership. He'd kill that idiot in a second-  
“Tordie, stop it.”  
“Stop what?”  
“Your creepy smile. You're being bloodthirsty again.”  
Tord shook his head, scattering his thoughts. “Sorry. I'll do my homework.”  
He pulls out his papers and works on it on his way to his parents work. By the time they got there he was baffled. “Pa, why is this so easy?”  
Paul turned back. “Hmm? Oh, it's just the first day. They take it easy then.”  
“Oh. Okay.” He puts away his homework and grins as they go into the parking garage, and they go down to the underground garage to the base.  
They get out, and Pat and Paul hold his hands as they go in.  
It's not because he's young, but because if unclaimed a child will be taken. They'd learned that the hard way one day, and had refused to let Tord go to work with them for another two weeks while they hunted down the man that took him and chopped his- did some quite gruesome things to him.  
Honestly, they were scared enough to leave him alone, but Paul and Patryck were protective since then, and Tord wasn't going to argue.  
They walk into the Leaders wing, where his highest officials worked. Tord was also under oath, but he'd never been one to spill secrets.  
The Leader came into their office, his fierce eyes and hawk-like grey-streaked hair making him a fierce presence to behold. Paul and Patryck stand and bow respectfully, Tord looking up from the corner where he was setting his stuff down. He quickly stood up and copied them, and Leader chuckled and ruffled his hair.  
Tord scowls and gently pushes his hand away. “Why does everyone do that? I have a certain way I keep it.”  
“Because we like how you react.” He says, in a deep voice.  
Paul nods, snickering. “Sir, how do you do?”  
“I'm doing well, thank you for asking. Are you working on the invasion plans? Remember, they're due in a week and a half, and we need everything figured out.”  
“Yes sir, it should be all figured out by next Tuesday.”  
“Good. Go get ready for morning initiation.”  
“Sir yes sir.”  
Leader nods as he leaves the room. “Alright Tord get up.”  
Tord nodded and stood, grabbing his notebook. They walked out the door and joined the procession into the cafeteria.  
When they got in they sat at the official table in the front, and Paul and Patryck greeted everyone, exchanged stories, a couple coming and giving Tord small things, a piece of paper with a picture on it or a fortune from a fortune cookie. He'd refused candy a while ago, and they stopped bringing it. Tord glanced down at his arm, wanting to check it for messages. But he didn't. He looked up at the stage as Leader appeared, calling everyone to order.   
He made a few announcements about battle strategies, Tord drawing his own, only half listening. Then they broke up into their divisions for warm ups.  
Tord joined his parents, changing into a tank top for warm up because he had to go to school. He finished before most everyone else, as he always did, and gathered his stuff and went with Paul back to the office, where they began strategizing.  
Tord finally gave in and checked his arm, where there was a drawing scribbled on his arm. It really sucked, it was a picture of a bowling ball or something.   
He wrote under it. “That sucks.”  
He got no response, so he wiped it away. He'd talk later.  
When he finished his battle plans he showed it to Paul.   
“That's really good! But, tell me, what kind of science would you use to make the teleporter?”  
“Physics, duh.”  
“Narrow it down.”  
Tord narrows his eyes, thinking. “Quantum. The physics of space, maybe time if I need to.”  
“Yep. If you can figure out the math we can see if we want to make a prototype.”  
They were already working on teleportation, in the science sector.  
“Pack up buddy, it'll be time to go to school soon.”  
Tord nodded and put his drawing away with a sigh. Tomorrow then, tomorrow maybe he'll get it approved. He KNEW it would work.   
They borrowed a car from a friend and Paul and Patryck drove him to school, him quickly handing them his military jacket. Not allowed at school, in case someone found out he'd gone to the army.  
“Have a good day at school, Tordie. We’ll be picking you up in the mecha, but near the back of the building okay?”  
Tord nodded and gave them both a quick hug. “I'll see you after school Pa, and Pat.”  
He grinned when he walked in, earlier than yesterday, and Edd, Matt, and Tom were standing in their group in the cafeteria, talking about going to see a movie that was coming out soon. Insane zombie pirates from hell, it was called. They waved him over. “Hey, did you hear about the new movie?”  
Tord tilted his head curiously.  
“Insane zombie pirates from hell. It's supposed to be really cool and gory.”  
Tord grinned. “That's right up my alley.”  
“Really? I thought you were all about frilly princesses and Barbie dolls.” Tom snarled, and Tord glares at him.  
Don't fight don't fight don't fight.  
“Yeah? Have you ever seen a horror movie in real life? Limbs cut off? Blood spurting out?”  
“Nope, I bet you haven't either.”  
He smirks. He could one up him easy.  
Anyway. The start of his second day of school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a chapter in my "TomTord one shots" that's basically what happened to make Paul and Patryck protective of him at the base.  
> Not fluffy. Very not fluffy. Beating up and haha gory stuff. Patryck being sadistic with hatred.


	5. Conversation, Challenge Accepted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha we may get close to them finding each other.  
> We shall see, we shall see...  
> And I will continue it after them finding each other, the whole fluff. Allllll the fluff.

In his first class, he listened for a little while then stopped, bored. He saw a note on his arm.  
“Heya there. So, I'm at school.”  
Tord grinned. Why was he so happy every time he got a note?  
“So am I.”  
“Bored?”  
“Yes”  
“Let's play a game then.”  
Tord raised an eyebrow, then looked around for something to erase his arm with.  
He took his water bottle, carefully wetted his sleeve, and wiped it away.  
He wrote, “Like what?”  
“What do you like to do in your free time?”  
“Draw. Or come up with battle strategies.”  
There was a pause, and Tord realized everyone was passing up their homework. He quickly passed his own up, and when he looked back down there was more writing.  
“Battle strategies for what?”  
Tord hesitated. “For taking over the world.”  
Erase.  
“Why do you want to take over the world?”  
“Because it would be cool.”  
“Haha so ambitious.”  
Tord grinned, erasing again. Ahh, he had ink on his sleeve. Oh well.  
He heard Matt lean over his shoulder and quickly pulled his sleeve down.  
“Whatcha up to?”  
“I'm… writing.”  
“Ooh writing your soulmate?”  
Tord blushed and looked away, answering his question.  
“Can I write something?”  
Tord sighed and pulled his sleeve back up, where his soulmate had written “We should write stories.”  
Tord quickly wrote back “Yeah. But first,”  
He handed his pen over, and Matt wrote on his arm. “Lemme take a selfie.”  
Tord sniggered, and Tom drew a question mark.  
Matt wrote again.  
“It's too bad you can't see me, I am the hottest man around.”  
“The handwriting is different.” Tom wrote simply, and Tord asked for his pen back.  
“Yeah, my friend took my arm.”  
“Took your…”  
Erase.  
“Tell me a funny story about you.” Tord wrote.  
There was a long pause.  
“Do you want to hear about the time I burned the house down on Christmas?”  
Tord quieted his snickering at the teacher's evil look.  
“Sure.”  
“Well, I hate Christmas, first off.”  
“Why?”  
“It's stupid. Plus I used to be a jehovah's witness.”  
“Now?”  
“Meh.”  
Erase.  
“So, my dad doesn't usually celebrate Christmas but he did this year. He set up a Christmas tree and everything. He knew I hated Christmas, so he gave me the most presents. Without a word”  
Erase.  
“I went into the garage and grabbed the gasoline, spread it over the tree and presents, and burned the house down. My dad was so mad.”  
Tord snickered, then wrote, “I'll tell a funny story then. Let me think for a moment.”  
“Okay. Hey, maybe we could play twenty questions after you do.”  
“Twenty questions?”  
Erase.  
“I ask twenty questions about you, and vise versa.”  
“Oh okay. Sure.”  
Tord grinned.  
“But it's my turn to tell a story. Should I tell you how I met my second dad?”  
“Second dad?”  
“Oh yeah, I have two dads.”  
“Oh. I don't.”  
“Yeah, most people-” he stops, interrupted  
“No, I mean I don't have a dad.”  
“Oh…”  
Erase.  
“What happened?”  
“He got shot by a bear.”  
“Oh. Wait. How? Ahh, nevermind, I've seen weirder.”  
“Weirder than a bear shooting a gun?”  
“I've shot a gun.”  
Erase.  
“Oookay then.”  
“Anyway, my story. I was at the orphanage- I'll tell you later. And d- the dad who I met first came in, telling me he brought a visitor. He didn't tell me how they met, but they were holding hands. And I can be kinda protective of the people I care about. So I punched my future dad’s boyfriend the first time I met him.”  
He had to write halfway up his upper arm, then erased.  
“Cool. Hey, I'm gonna write something on my leg, look at it when you get home.”  
Tord blushed slightly and smiled. A secret message, eh?  
“Can't wait.”  
“Hey.”  
“Yeah?”  
“I'm glad I started talking to you.”  
Tord grinned, happy.  
“So am I. Why don't people talk to their-” he left a huge black line as he jumped, startled by the bell again. He quickly scribbled “gotta go, next class” and packed his stuff quickly.  
Matt glances at him curiously as they walk out.  
“Were you drawing this time?” "No, still writing." “Oh. My soulmate is an alternate universe version of myself, so I can't meet them anytime soon.”  
Tord snickered. Matt was joking, of course. Right?  
He met Edd outside the door and they walked out to the main hall, before splitting off.  
Tord walked cautiously in, worrying that Tom would bug him. He may have wiped everything away, but there was a slight black smudge all over his forearm, and he tugged the edge of his sleeve nervously. The coach called to them. “Okay, today you get your lockers and gym outfit. It's been washed, and is mandatory. If you sit out that's a zero on your participation grade.”  
Tord swallowed nervously. So much for keeping the smudge hidden. He tried again to wipe it away more, then jumped when a voice came up behind him.  
“What you doing, cat hair?”  
Tord tugged his sleeve down quickly, glaring over his shoulders. “Is that your worst insult?”  
“Nope. Smudgy sleeves. Were you writing your soulmate?”  
Tord stuck his tongue out. “None of your business.”  
“Love struck middle schooler.”  
“Shut up black eyes. You were talking about your soulmate yesterday.”  
“Yeah, well I bet my soulmate is more mature than yours. Yours probably puts kissy faces and hearts and stuff.”  
Tord rolls his eyes. “No, for your information. We’re just getting to know each other a bit. My soulmate is quite mature, and I would rather you not try to put him down.”  
“Him? So you're gay?”  
“Got a problem with that? Yours is too. You said him.”  
Tom narrowed his eyes. “Fine. Let's have a contest then.”  
“What kind?”  
“What would you do for your soulmate? Tell them they get to ask you to do one thing, and you have to do it. Then you have to show me the request, and prove that you did it.”  
“I barely know him, Tom.”  
“Still.”  
Tord glares at him. “Fine.” Challenge accepted.  
Tom nodded and walked off.  
When they changed Tord went to a stall and purposely didn't look at his leg, saving it for when he got home.  
Short sleeves and sweatpants were the dress code. It'd get hot quickly if they went outside, the sun was out and blazing.  
Tom ended up being paired with Tord for a three legged race.  
Stupid coaches.  
Stupid teachers.  
PE couldn't have lasted longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha or I could kill everyone in the end. But I'll keep this fluffy. I'll keep my bloodthirsty side away from this.  
> Update: if I make any big mistakes please let me know in the comments.


	6. Cute Comversation, Twenty Questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh I can't stand it. I'm going to have to reveal the couple to each other soon.

At lunch, Tord rolled up his sleeve, and there was a message there. “Hey I need help.”  
He got out his pen, writing, “With what?”  
He jumped as Tom came up behind him and said, “Whatcha writing?”  
He hid his arm, rolling his sleeve down. “None of your business.”  
“Awww how cute. You're all shy.”  
“Am not!” He blushes and glares at him. “I don't think it's fair, the soulmate challenge.”  
“How so?”  
“Well you’ve known yours longer, haven't you?”  
Tom raises an eyebrow.   
“So it's definitely not fair.” Tord crosses his arms. “I'm not doing it.”  
Tom smirked and leaned on his chair. “You scared?”  
“No! Just leave me and my soulmate alone!”  
Tom is quiet for a moment. “I can respect that.”  
That was the first thing he'd said that wasn't a jab, since they'd met.  
“Did you know you were gay?”  
“Shut up. No. I thought I was straight.”  
Tom sighs. “I did. Whatever, I'm gonna get food.”  
He walked off, pulling his sleeve up as he did.  
Tord looked down at his arm, hoping for a message. There wasn't any, but a couple seconds later one was scrawling across his arm.  
“I had an argument earlier, don't worry about it though.”  
Tord raises an eyebrow.  
“Okay? So it's time for twenty questions.”  
“Nah, after lunch.”  
“Haha you have lunch now too? Okay, let's wait”  
Erase.  
Tord finished his lunch, and made plans to meet with Edd and Matt (Tom didn't like being outside.) That afternoon they'd go to the park after dropping by a bakery. Tord was jittery, excited. He'd never made plans like that before.  
Tom wrote something on his arm then stood and waved them off. “I'm gonna go finish some homework before I go to my next class. See ya.”  
He walks off. Tord rolls his eyes and tugs at the edge of his sleeve, wanting to look but not wanting to cut out Edd, who was talking about something about his new kitten, Ringo, born just recently. Edd glanced over at him and waved a hand. “You can write, I don't care. I'll just talk to Matt.”  
Matt grins. “Did he bite the cat toy?”  
They continue their conversation as Tord rolls his sleeve up.   
“Changed my mind, I'll play when you're ready.” Tord raised an eyebrow at the message and writes back, “Okay. You go first.”  
“What's your favorite color?”  
“Red.” Tord writes immediately.  
“Ha okay. Opposites. Mine’s blue. Your turn.”  
“Uh…” Tord wrote as placeholder. “Do you have any fighting experience?”  
“Yeah I am relatively notorious at school for beating up idiots and bullies. Not to brag.”  
Erase. Tord was laughing.  
“Alright. I learned to fight in something I can't tell you about. Didn't stop me from being kidnapped one time.”  
“You got kidnapped?”  
“Yeah… my dad’s were pretty mad though. They cut off his fingers and stuff.”  
“O_O”  
Tord raised an eyebrow. “If you're freaked out with that then-”  
“Nah, I've held my dad's guts so-”  
“Creepy.”  
“Sure.”  
Erase.  
“Alright my turn.” His soulmate said. “Are you a virgin? Just want to check.”  
Tord blushed immensely and quickly scribbled “yes. Definitely.”  
“If I was talking to you that might sound sarcastic.”  
“ITS NOT SARCASTIC” Tord wrote in all caps. “I AM A VIRGIN.”  
He quickly erased it before anyone could see.  
“Okay cool. I am too. I know we're just in middle school but hey you never know.”  
“Right.”  
“You didn't look at your leg yet did you?”  
“Nope.”  
“Good.”  
Erase.  
“Why?”  
“You'll see.”  
“My turn.” Tord thinks for a moment. “Do you like drawing?”  
“Sure. I'm not good at it but I draw anyway. Sorry for scribbling over your doodles. They were good. Well. Kinda. They were appealing to look at, even if it looked like someone slightly younger drew it.”  
Tord laughs as it's erased.   
“So my turn,” His soulmate writes. “What's your biggest fear?”  
Tord frowns. “Not fair.”  
“Too fair. You can ask me too.”  
Tord hesitated for a good moment, then jumped as the bell rang.  
“Tell you in a sec.”  
He gathers his stuff, then goes to his next class.  
“I guess I'm scared of loud sounds. It's not my biggest fear, but it's most often affected.”  
“That explains a bit.”  
Tord rolls his eyes. The black line he'd accidentally left.  
Erase.  
“That's my question too. What's your biggest fear?”  
“Bears. No question.”  
Tord laughs quietly. “Alright. Your turn. How many questions is that?”  
“Uh. Three?”  
“Maybe.”  
“Okay, how many people have you had a crush on?”  
“Having been homeschooled till recently, not many. Maybe two. Both girls, by the way.”  
“Ah. Dated?”  
“Kinda, it didn't really count. It was a couple days and we were confused more than flirtatious.”  
“Wow deep. Okay.”  
Erase.  
“My turn, what's the most embarrassing thing about yourself?”  
“Well… I have a trademark. But I won't tell you till we decide we may meet, because it's an easy was to find me. So hmm, probably that I accidentally got a legs stuck in my mouth once, and had to be taken to hospital, where they melted it out.”  
Tord busts out laughing, ignoring some glares. “Oh my god.”  
“I was like five. Come on.”  
“That's hilarious.”  
“Fine what's your most embarrassing trait?”  
“I tend to get a creepy smile on my face when I think of bloodshed.”  
“You sound like a creepy person.”  
“Kinda, once you get to know me. I'm mostly shy until I've known you for a year at least.”  
“You're not shy with me?”  
“You're different”  
“How?”  
Erase.  
“You make me feel happy. And I can be open to you.”  
“Okay. Then I'll ask you another question. You don't have to answer.”  
Tord waited, somewhat anticipating.   
“What's your darkest secret?”  
Tord bit his lip, knowing what it was but debating writing it.  
“I'm going to write on my leg. My calf. I don't want people seeing.”  
Tom quickly wrote back, “okay just don't look at what I said.”  
“I won't.”  
He casually put his leg up in his lap and wrote near his ankle, up his calf.  
“My dad's take me to a military base every morning. I train with them before school. And I plan, someday, to take over the Leader, by killing him and taking his place. Then I want to take over the world. I know I'm young, and I plan on waiting till I'm old enough. But that's my long term goal.”  
There's complete silence, and Tord erases it, waiting anxiously.  
“You want to know my darkest secret?”  
Tord blinked quickly. Yes? No?  
Curiosity overcame restraint.  
“Yes.”  
“I'm gay.”  
Tord rolled his eyes.  
“Really?”  
“I'm serious. You're the second person I've told. Ever. My first was a guy I had a crush on. Awkwardest day of my life.”  
Tord sighed.  
“Okay. I won't shame you. Since apparently I am too.”  
Erase.  
“Good. Ugh, I wish I ate more for lunch.”  
“You didn't have to talk to me instead of-”  
“No, I just didn't feel like it. I may be a little depressed.”  
“Oh. I don't know what to do when someone is depressed…”  
“Don't worry about it, the more you know me the more you'll see what triggers me and stuff.”  
“Got it…”  
Erase.  
“Well, I gotta go, my math teacher is strict. Talk to you later!”  
“Bye. And, uh, I am interested.”  
“In what?”  
“Meeting someday. I want to.”  
“Well, we shall see.”  
Tord smiled. “Talk to you tonight, if you can.”  
“:)”  
Tord puts his pen away and actually does his work. He leaves the rest of the conversation on his arm till after school, then erases it, somewhat excited to see what he had on his leg.


	7. Twenty Questions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha there's a lot of POV changes. Enjoy.

“I think I'm head over heels in love with you.”  
Tord stared at it, and stared at it, and blushed at it, and grinned, and laughed, and overall was really happy and flustered by the message.  
He spent a long time coming up with something to say.  
“How do you know?”  
He waits, but there's no response. He sighs and pulls his pants back up, not having been able to roll his pants up enough.  
Then he notices a response on his arm.  
“Because you make me feel like no one else has been able to so far.”  
Tord blushed. He was getting awfully romantic.  
“Cool…”  
“Sorry, should I stop?”  
“No!” Tord hesitated. “No, I'm the same, I think. I just can't put it as uh, romantically as you can”  
“Oh. I meant it literally though. I haven't felt adrenaline like that every time I see you've written something. It's definitely a benefit of you being my soulmate.”  
“How would you know you loved me, though, if you don't know who I am?”  
“I know enough. Hey, should we continue twenty questions?”  
Tord shrugged, realized he couldn't see it, and wrote “Sure.”  
“Okay. What outdoor activity do you like to do?”  
“Uh, maybe see a gun show or something. Sometimes the shooting ranges are outside? It depends.”  
“You like guns?”  
“I've been raised in the military, by commanding officers. Yes.”  
Tom read over his notes from his soulmate, rolling his eyes. He was laying on his bed and doodling on his thigh. He was wearing basketball shorts, and in between a sketch he'd write to his soulmate.  
“How romantic. Maybe I should be the one to decide on dates, when we date.”  
“Maybe.”  
“Lol, fun. Anyway, I believe it's your turn to ask a question?”  
He finished the kitten picture on his leg and started drawing the symbol for male, then another one crossed over it. How romantic. It looked like keys.  
“Okay, if I dared you to do something would you do it?”  
Tom raised an eyebrow. “Sure? Are you going to? And I'm going to warn you now, my next question could be something you won't want to answer.”  
He smirked. He must be nervous now.  
“Uh oh. Okay. So I dare you to draw a picture of what you think I look like, and I'll tell you if you're close or not.”  
Tom snorted, then started drawing on the other leg, making things up as he went along. He just drew the face, then let his soulmate know he'd done it.  
When he looked at it, he realized it looked kinda like that annoying kid at school, with the hair and the drawings. Just a little.  
Tord snickered at the picture. His soulmate really sucked at drawing. It looked familiar though, kinda like him. Was it that he reflected his personality?  
“Have you seen me before?”  
Tom rolled his eyes.   
“I'm pretty sure I'd know if I'd seen my soulmate. I would’ve been swaying at the sight of your attractive face.”  
“Jeez you are a hopeless romantic.”  
Tord thought for a moment, then wrote, “But you're my hopeless romantic.”  
Haha, fighting back.  
“Alright, my turn.” Tord waited in anticipation.  
“Why did I sometimes have blood on my back when I was younger?”  
Tom chewed the end of his pen, knowing that it was a loaded question. Hopefully he hadn't overstepped, and his soulmate wouldn't reject him now.  
Tord leaned his head against the wall, eyes closed. He hadn't even thought about that when he learned about soulmates.   
He wrote with slightly shaking hands, “I had a bad childhood. That's why I was at the orphanage, I was abused.”  
Tord dropped his pen and waited for a response. Hopefully he didn't just scare off his soulmate. Was he being too open?  
He stretched, trying to relax his tensed muscles. When he saw his arm again, he saw “I want to hug you right now. You're too sweet to go through that.”  
Tord snickered, the tense atmosphere broken.  
“I'm not cute. Ugh, stop saying stuff like that. There's a guy at school that already accused you of being lovey dovey. You're proving him right.”  
“Haha yeah. I tend to brag about my soulmate so I said something like that to someone earlier today, but I'm not actually mean I promise. Well, I try not to be.”  
Tord sighed. “Mean is bad.”  
“I know. Sorryyyyy I’ll try not to be mean to him then. He's just… weird. And he keeps poking fun at me. Not that I mind that, but I don't know, something about him irks me.”  
Tord raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”  
“Is that your question?”  
“Is that yours?”  
“Does this count?”  
“How many questions are we on?”  
“What is a good question?”  
“Did you just answer me jeopardy style?”  
“Did I?”  
Tord snickers too hard to write, and the door busts open. Tord had taken off his pants to look at the picture, and quickly covered himself with a blanket, blushing immensely as Patryck walks in.  
Patryck stops, and narrows his eyes. “What are you doing?”  
“N-nothing.” Tord hides his arm. “I'm just talking to my soulmate…”  
“You should get to bed soon. We're getting up earlier for the game, remember?”  
Oh yeah. The military holds a soccer game once a year to blow off steam and increase morale. That also have an annual dodgeball game, football game, basketball game, and baseball game.  
Tord's personal favorite was soccer, and he was a goalie for that one. He used to be a player on the field, until they realized what he was good at.   
He didn't participate in the others, though. Waste of time.  
And they didn't let him do the wrestling match.  
“Okay I'll go to bed please leave.”  
“Alright alright. I'll leave you to do…” Patryck glanced at the hastily pulled up blanket. “Whatever you were doing.”  
“I'm not- HEY!”  
Patryck closes the door, snickering, and Tord throws a pillow at it.  
“Jerk..,”  
He pulls off the blanket and puts his pants back on, then writes to Tom “My turn to draw you. Then I have to go to bed.” His soulmate draws a horrible thumbs up, and Tord snickers, then draws a face.  
But he can't bring any to mind, except for that one bully, Tom.  
He didn't really mind Tom. He just liked poking his buttons and seeing him lash out. Still, it went both ways.  
He tried drawing a random face, but he kept noticing the features of Tom, so he scribbled over it and wrote, “I can't, too much on my mind.”  
“Lol, okay. I wish I could be wherever you are, I'd beat up that bully of yours.”  
“Well, he’s not really a bully, I just push all of his buttons and he lashed out. Plus, he saved me from some actual bullies so I can't be too mad. He's also my friends friend.”  
“Lol, talk about ‘same’. We must have the same kind of friends.”  
“Yeah? Strange. Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'll follow my advice as well, and try not to bother Tom.” Erase.  
He drew a little heart, then rolled over to go to sleep.  
Tom held a hand to his head, shaking. Seriously? Maybe it was a different Tom.  
He quickly scrawled the question that would tell him who his soulmate was.   
He half hoped he was wrong.  
He was half excited to see if he was right.  
“What color are Tom’s eyes?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will hate me for this cliffhanger.


	8. More Bullying also soccer yayyyy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyyyyy  
> Sorry this is late guys, I slept for two days after camp bc I got hardly any sleep (thanks, freshman, for staying up and screaming in the hallways all night.)  
> Anyway, here you go!!

Tord stares at the message when he woke up, confused. Did his soulmate know a Tom with weird eyes? Or did he, by any chance, know his Tom? Meaning, of course, the Tom that went to his school.  
He wrote, “Strange you asked. Because his eyes are black, the entire eye. Do you, somehow, know him?”  
He hesitated, remembering that he wasn't supposed to write in the morning.  
Probably not 3 in the morning, either.  
He rolled his sleeve down and stood, stretching. A couple seconds later, Paul came knocking on his door.  
“Tord, you up?”  
Tord called out, “Yeah!” And got up, giddy with new excitement at playing soccer.  
He ate his breakfast of bacon and eggs, and they drove to the base, in the junky car since it came back from the shop.   
They arrive at the base, set their stuff down in the office, and get down to the fields for announcements, and to get ready for the tournament.  
Tord would be about half an hour late for school, but Red Leader had given them a doctor's note so he didn't get in trouble.  
Tom laid on his bed, arm over his eyes, having read the note back.  
He kept switching between grinning and groaning, not sure if he wanted the best to be his soulmate.  
He wrote a response to his questioning.  
“I have talked to him. I know who you are now, from what he's told me.”  
He suddenly laughed, loudly, and the door opens as his mom comes in, curious about his laughter so early.  
Tom quickly sat up and rolled his sleeve down, but it was too late.  
She read his messages.  
And ordered him to write something else on his arm.  
Tord wiped his forehead, sweating in the heat of the day, though it was still morning.  
He kept his eye carefully on the ball as it made his way toward him, and saw the guy move as if about to kick, and leapt the other way.  
By then he'd feinted and was already kicking it straight toward where Tord had dived, and Tord wrapped his arms around the ball.  
He grinned as he got back up, and threw the ball to the other side of the field, where one of the soldiers was waiting to deliver it straight into the goal.  
Tord shook his head and went to the sidelines, having won the game. He was grinning, and grabbed a towel and threw it over his shoulders. He got a lot of high fives and pats on the back, even a hug from a couple people.  
All closely monitored by his parents, of course.  
He went into the locker room to change, and noticed more writing on his arm.  
At first he was smirking. So unfair. Now his soulmate was going to make him guess.  
Then he saw the next line and paled, guilt and fear for his soulmate filling him.  
“Don't talk to my son ever again!”  
He quickly washed away everything he wrote, and rolled his sleeve down, blushing as though he'd been scolded. He was quiet when he went with Paul and Patryck into the junky car to go to school, and they questioned him as to why he was down.  
“I… I think I got my soulmate in trouble.”  
They were quiet for a moment, then Paul starts snickering, which set Patryck off.  
“I-I got Pat in SO much trouble when we were younger!” Paul laughs, and Tord blushed more.  
So not helping.  
He go out of the car quickly and muttered goodbye, closing the door and walking to the front office to turn in his note.  
When he gets to his classroom Matt leans over. “Where were you?”  
Tom mutters back truthfully, “Soccer game for my dad's.”  
“Oh.”  
Matt hesitated, then grinned widely. “How's your soulmate?”   
Tord blushed and looked away. “I think I got him in trouble.”  
Matt raises an eyebrow, then glances down. “There's something on your wrist.”  
Tord glances down and rolls up his sleeve slowly, then sighs in relief. The old words were erased.  
“Sorry, my mom walked in. We can talk I just have to be more careful. I'm not in too much trouble, she's just overprotective. Promise.”  
He smiles and writes back “Okay. That scared me.”  
“So I know who you are, Tord. Right?”  
Tord blushed. “Uh, yeah. Do you go to my school?”  
There was a pause. “Yeah.”  
“It's only fair if you tell me who you are. If I don't know you-”  
“No, you're gonna have to figure out on your own :P I am in one of your classes though. So it should be fair.”  
“So not fair.”  
“Too bad.”  
Tord stuck his tongue out indignantly, then glances over at Matt, who looks curious.  
“He's not in too much trouble.”  
He turns back to his arm and writes, “When I finally figure out who you are you should meet my dad's They might overly question you about your opinion on gayness though. Huge topic to them, and high on their priority list. Probably gonna ask you if you're a virgin as well.”  
“Scary. I guess if they make a big deal about gayness and stuff, my date idea is perfect.”  
“You already have date ideas?”  
Tord rolls his eyes. Thinking so far ahead.  
“Yeah. Why aren't you? Anyway, that's only if you're okay with me being your soulmate. You might not like me.”  
“Lies. I like you now, why would meeting you change that?”  
“...”  
“Hey.”  
“What?”  
“If you gave me your phone number we could text. Then your mom wouldn't get mad.”  
“No, I don't have a phone.”  
“Really? I must be spoiled.”  
“Yep.”  
“Wow thanks. Wait. Does Tom know I'm your soulmate? That is, will he tease me anymore about it, since it's someone he knows?”  
“Um… I don't know. Yeah I told him.”  
Tom was having a hard time not telling him. But he was scared about how Tord would react, and wanted him to figure out on his own.  
The waiting was terrible.  
“Oh, okay. Well, I see him soon so we'll see.”  
“I suppose we will.”  
Tord glances around the room, looking for someone who might be writing on themselves. He saw the response being written on his arm, but everyone else in the room was either paying attention or writing something on paper.  
Or looking in their reflection, if you were Matt.  
The bell rang to go to next class and Tord walked to gym in giddy excitement.  
Why was he excited? It was just gym.  
When he walked in he regretted being early. Eduardo grabbed him by the jacket and pushed him against the wall.   
Tord winced and tried to peel his hands away.  
“Hey there loser. What did I tell you about hanging out with the wrong people? I'm first pick. Edd is coming in second place. You should be one of my lackeys. We’d love to have your smarts. You don't pay attention in class, and yet you have the highest grade already.”  
Tord narrowed his eyes at him and didn't say anything.  
He didn't want to show that he could protect himself. Perhaps if he didn't, then he could get in a fight. It had been too long, since he'd fought someone.  
Unfortunately that opportunity was taken from him when an angry Tom shoved Eduardo away.  
“Leave him alone! He's already chosen which group he wants, you don't have to keep hounding him! If you want someone smart, go for Janet. She doesn't have any friends.”  
Eduardo curls a lip at him. “Hey there loser. I'm not quite sure you live up to your reputation.”  
“Is that so? I bet in a fight you'd run away like the wimp that you are.”  
Tom smirks as he sees Eduardo get angrier and shoves against his chest. “Especially against me. You're too scared. Chicken.”  
Eduardo uses one hand to grab his jacket and pulls back a fist, which is grabbed by the coach.  
“Tell me boys, what is going on here?”  
Eduardo quickly let go of Tom. “I was just, uh, saying hi…” he wilts under the teachers glare.  
“You, Eduardo, are coming with me. Tom, are you okay?”  
Tom is obviously holding back a snicker and nods. “I'm fine, sir.”  
The coach nods at him then drags Eduardo away. Tom turns back to Tord, but Tord doesn't think he's looking at him.  
“Help me up, will you?”  
Tord holds out a hand, and Tom blushes and grits his teeth, then turns away. “See you around.”  
He walks off, and Tord narrows his eyes at him and stands up. Rude. He seemed embarrassed about something.  
Probably for dissing Tord's soulmate, then figuring out who it was.  
Tord sighed and picked up his stuff, walking to the locker rooms, noting that Tom wouldn't look at him.  
Tord felt kinda bad.  
He'd make it up later, somehow.


	9. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the chapter you've all been waiting for.

Tord stared across the table at Tom. Tom was picking at his food, blushing slightly and refusing to look up.  
“Look Tom I know we don't get along but are you okay?”  
Tom blushed more, and mumbled. “Uh, I'm fine yeah why wouldn't I be?”  
“Because I have flicked three wads of paper and some food onto your plate and you haven't once responded. You're also not eating, and you're the one who eats most out of this group. Other than maybe Edd, but that's not the point.”  
Tom flicked the papers off his plate, then took a bite. “There, better?” He says, mouth full of food.  
“Tom, you're mumbling.” Edd says, glancing over at him. “You also just ate an orange peel with your mashed potatoes.”  
Tom put down his fork and stood up. “I'm distracted. Also I'm going to the bathroom.”  
He walked away, and Tord looked after him, feeling guilty. “Maybe I should stop picking on him.”  
“Yeah, maybe. Especially if why he told me this morning is true.”  
Tord glances at him. “What's that?”  
“Uh, hold on a sec.” Edd paused to work his words out. “A friend of his knows you're their soulmate. Did I say that right?”  
Matt nods absentmindedly, “Yeah, I do need a hair trim.”  
“Matt, come down to earth please.” Edd sighs.  
“Why should I come down to earth when I'm-”  
“Oh no.”  
“OUT OF THIS WORLD?!?” Matt grins at his perfectly placed idiom while Tord just faceplants into his food.  
Comical, but messy. Tord excused himself to the bathroom to clean up.  
He came in and saw Tom writing on his arm, oblivious to the fact that someone else was in there.  
Tord snuck up behind him and peeked over his shoulder. “Whatcha writing?”  
Tom spun around so quickly that it made Tord jump back in surprise. “N-n-nothing! None of your business.”  
“Aw you big sweetie. Writing love notes to your soulmate.”  
Tom blushed immensely and looked away.  
“Asking him how his game went. What game, per chance?”  
Tom clenches the counter, almost as though expecting Tord to do something to him.  
But something clicked in Tord's mind.  
He took a step back. “Y… you didn't by any chance mean a soccer game did you?”  
Tom clenched the counter tighter.  
And nodded.  
Tord stared at him.  
For like ten seconds.  
Then he spun and walked out of the bathroom.  
As he did, he checked his arm. Sure enough, there was a message asking how his game went.  
He pulled down his sleeve and sat at the table, blushing bright red. And he knew it too.  
“Whoa. Someone looks embarrassed. Did someone walk in on you or something? Oh, and did you happen to see Tom? He's taking a while, just wanted to check up on him.”  
Tord shivered. Tom was his soulmate?  
Wait.  
What?!  
How?  
They didn't get along. Maybe all soulmates were like that?  
No.  
No that's not it.  
Maybe… they just had a different way of flirting.  
Tom already knew?!? Why didn’t he say anything?!  
Because of how Tord reacted. Tord had just walked out. He should go apologize. He'd just been… startled.  
He quickly stood up before he realized Edd had been talking to him.  
“Sorry, what?”  
“I asked if you figured out who your soulmate is.”  
Tord blushed. “Uh. Yeah.”  
Edd grinned and banged the table excitedly with his fist. “Really?!? So tell me, who is it?”  
Tord narrowed his eyes at him. “You already know. Be right back, I have to apologize.”  
Edd frowned at that. “What, how'd you react?”  
Tord shrugged. “I just walked out.”  
Edd eyes widen in understanding. “Ohhh. Okay. Yeah, go.”  
Tord sighed and walked into the bathroom again.  
Tom was sitting against the sinks, knees drawn up and head in his arms.  
Tord felt really bad.  
“Hey, uh…” he looked away. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, I was just startled.”  
“Hmm.” Tom doesn't look up.  
Tord sits down next to him. “I… I never hated you.”  
“I know.”  
“I liked picking on you.”  
“I know.”  
“What about you?”  
Tom is quiet. “Uh, I never minded. I guess.”  
“Hm.”  
Tord stares off into space at the stall in front of him. “You know...”  
“Hm?”  
“This is pretty awkward.” Tord laughs, and after a second Tom let's out a chuckle as well. “Yeah. You seem different when we write to each other.”  
Tord shrugs. “Yep. It's because I was more open. I knew you wouldn't judge, so I… yeah. Well, I was pretty sure. Like, 80 percent sure.”  
“Ha. I never judge.” Tom smirks. “Ever. Not at all.”  
“Sarcasm identified.”  
Tom snickers, and Tord thinks for a moment. “So you've already thought of a date?”  
“Ummmm yeah I tend to think ahead sometimes.”  
“You say to the person that already has a plan for taking over the world. When I'm older though.”  
“Yeah no one would take you seriously at your age.”  
They continue this idle chatter for a little while, then the bell rings and Tom gets up quickly, holding his hand out to Tord. “Need a hand?”  
Tord really didn't, but he grinned and took Tom's hand, helping himself up.  
Tord blushed when Tom didn't let go, but didn't complain. Tom walked him to his next class, and gave him an awkward side hug. “Write you later, soulmate.” Tom winked, ignoring Tord's flustered babble, and walked away.  
“See you… elskede.” Tord blushed at his own nickname, even though Tom didn't hear it, and walked into class.  
He noticed another note on his arm. “Do you want to hang out after school?”  
Tord grinned. “Sure. I'll have to let my parents know.”  
“Can do. Can I meet them?”  
“They're probably going to force me to introduce you.”  
“I'll take that as a yes.”  
Tord grinned. They may have had a rough start, but he was looking forward to getting to know his soulmate more, and- he blushes- going on dates.


	10. Meeting the Parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look out for flirting and fluff.  
> It's coming at you like a train.
> 
> ...
> 
> I like trains.

Tord was nervously clinging to Tom's hand as he waited for his dad's car to pull up. Tom was grinning, his nervousness at Tord's reaction gone, and replaced with excitement for the future.  
He knew Tord was flustered by Tom holding his hand. He liked flustered Tord.  
He saw a window roll down on some really fancy sports car, and a mans head poke out. He thought nothing of it (other than “cool car”) until he called out. “Tord! Come here!”  
Tord’s eyes widen and he walks forward, Tom right next to him.  
“Did you get a new car, pa?”  
“Yep! Well, Leader gave it to us.”  
Tom cocked his head. “Leader? Leader of what?”  
Patryck narrowed his eyes at Tom. “Hey, Tordie, who is this boy that is invading your hands personal space?”  
Tord blushed and mumbled, “don't call me that.”  
He spoke his next sentence louder. “This is Tom, he's, uh. He's…”  
He glances at Tom for help, and Tom sighs.  
“I'm his soulmate, and possibly his boyfriend, and he's an embarrassed mess. Nice to meet you!” He holds out a hand to shake, which Patryck grabs and kisses, as though addressing royalty. “Nice to meet you as well, Tom. My name is Patryck.”  
Tom blushed immensely and pulled his hand back quickly, making Patryck laugh.  
Pat elbowed Paul, who was facepalming. “Pat, do you HAVE to embarrass yourself every time you meet someone new?”  
“Absolutely, Paul, absolutely I do.”  
Paul just rested his head on the steering wheel and held out a hand to shake. “Yeah, names Paul and whatnot.”  
Tom shook his hand, then glances at Tord, who was burrowing his face into Tom's shoulder as though trying to disappear forever.  
“Uh, Tord, you okay?”  
“My dad's are so embarrassing, elskede…” the last word was so quiet that Tom didn't hear.  
Tom laughed. “At least they're not scary- HOLY POTATO IN A POPCORN PRESS!!”  
He jumped back when a rocket launcher appeared out of the side of the car, aimed directly at him. “What the- your parents live in the future!!! Tord, are they gonna kill me?!!”  
Tord lifted his head, seeing the rocket launcher. “Probably not. They're protective since the one time I got kidnapped and beat up, so they might kill you if you're overly affectionate.”  
At the scared look on Tom's face, he laughs. “I'm joking, they're just messing with you. They'd only kill you if I told them to.”  
That didn't help at all.  
Well, maybe a bit.  
The cars behind Pat started to honk, so he put the rocket away (after facing it to said cars for fits and giggles). “Do you need a ride Tom?”  
Tord glances at him. “Uhhh… we were going to hang out. At the cafe. If you're okay with it.”  
Patryck narrowed his eyes, then excitedly whispered something to Patryck before turning back. “Okay, when do you want us to come pick you up?”  
“Uh… 18:00?”   
“Can do! Have fun you two!” He waved his fingers, but suddenly his smile turned deadly. “But not TOO much fun…” he laughed evilly as the car pulled away.  
Tom glances at Tord. “Leader of what?”  
Tord shrugged. “Ehhhh something. I dunno.”  
They start to walk to the cafe, holding hands and talking about meaningless stuff. When they sat down on the couch, Tord kicked his shoes off and curled his legs almost under him, leaning a little on Tom.  
They were both blushing but both refused to admit it. Tord asked if he wanted to get anything, but neither of them had money.  
Tord could've gotten anything he wanted if he told them he was close with Leader, but decided not to pull that on Tom yet. He could tell his other secrets later.  
Tom was messing with one of Tord's hands, bending the fingers and straightening them, mostly just fidgeting stuff.   
Tord noticed, of course, but didn't complain.  
They talked idly for a little longer, starting to talk about what they do in their free time.  
That's how Tom discovered just how intelligent Tord was. “You know physics?!?”  
Tord raised an eyebrow up at him. “Yeah? Who doesn't?”  
“I don't!!!”  
“Oh. You know how to do missile design?”  
“No!!”  
“How to strategize for a battle?”  
“Where are you getting this from?!?”  
“Uh… calculus?”  
“No!!!”  
Tord narrowed his eyes. “I learned this stuff a while ago. I've only recently begun quantum physics.”  
“I don't even know what that is?!?”  
“What do you learn then?!”  
“Math! Long division! You're insane!”  
“I'm not insane…” he mumbles, a little stung.  
Tom quickly shook his head. “No, I didn't mean insane, I meant insanely advanced! What the heck? Could you give me an example?”  
Tord thought for a moment, then told him the Pythagorean theorem and how to use it.  
Tom stares at him blankly.  
He tried to explain Murphy's law.  
More blank staring.  
He tried to explain the structure of a human cell versus a plant cell.  
Amused staring.  
Tord narrowed his eyes and poked Tom’s nose. “I guess it's a homeschooling thing then.”  
Tom laughed, drawing a couple stares. “No, I'm pretty sure you're the only one smart enough to remember that. Lemme guess, you’be built some blueprint for a giant robot to take over the world, eh?”  
“Um… only slightly?”  
This made Tom burst into more laughter. Tord rolled his eyes and leaned his head against Tom's shoulder, just staring up at him.  
Tom noticed after he calmed down and raised an amused eyebrow.  
“Do I have something on my face?”  
Tord hesitated, then tried a jab at verbal flirting.  
Because why not.  
“Only your attractiveness, my elskede.”  
Tom blushed for a moment, then laughed. “That was so cheesy. What was the last thing you said? I don't think I heard it right.”  
“Um. You did. It was Norwegian.”  
“For what?”  
Tord blushed and continued to push his face into Tom's shoulder, not answering. Tom sighed and ruffled his hair. “Whatever.”  
He didn't notice from the window, hidden in the bushes, what could only have been Patryck's judging eyes, watching them.  
Aaaalllways waaaatching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *train runs me over*


	11. Meeting the Other Parent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shitt? I got lots of comments on the last chapter???  
> I must have done something right...  
> Anyway, enjoy this creativity and made up science!

Tord was shifting nervously, not yet having knocked on the door in front of him.  
It wasn't too much to be nervous about. It was his soulmates house.  
Over the past week since their Cafe… date? Tom had finally told his mom about his soulmate, and adamantly refused to stop seeing him.  
His mom finally gave in, realizing it was wrong to keep her son away because of her grievances. They had a long, heartfelt, and boring talk until his mom said that they could continue to meet, on one condition. She had to meet him before they went on anymore dates.  
So here Tord stood, his dad's on either side, hand raised to knock.  
He lowered his hand, then raised it again.  
Paul finally stepped forward with a “Oh, for goodness sakes.” And knocked on the door, loudly. Tord halfheartedly glares at him, then jumped when the door opened.  
Tom grinned at him and invited him inside, after a brief hug.  
Patryck tried to hug Tom as well but Tord snapped at him embarrassedly and he raised his hands in surrender, chuckling.  
Tom sat on the couch, looking almost more anxious than Tord.  
“Real quick I should tell you something about my mom.”  
He paused. “She's, uh, kinda…” he paused as a bowling ball rolled out of the hallway, as though on its own, but Tord ignored it.  
Then he noticed Tom blushing. “She's kinda not human. She's where I get my eyes from.”  
Tord raised an eyebrow, waiting, until he heard a voice in his head. “You're Tord, I presume?”  
Tord looked around. He was sure it was in his mind, but that wasn't possible. It was a ladies voice. He felt something bump against his foot. “Down here, dear.”  
He looked down at the… sentient bowling ball.  
“What…?”  
The bowling ball jumped onto the couch, ad Tord just stared at it for a moment before whipping around to face Tom. “That's-”  
“Yeah.” Tom was full on blushing now, embarrassed. “She doesn't like when people rub it in though. So please try not to comment.”  
“I heard that Tommee, and I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself. Or projecting my thoughts, however you want to- Tom, could you ask these two rude gentlemen to kindly step out, if they cannot get themselves together?”  
She was of course, talking about Patryck, who was giggling and leaning against Paul's shoulder, Paul holding back a snicker himself.  
“Can they hear you?” Tord asked.  
“Of course they can hear me. They just think it's a joke, and one I do not find funny.”  
Patryck waved a hand. “Sorry, sorry I just…”  
Tord sighs. “He has no self control and has to embarrass me at every opportunity guys can you please leave?”  
Patryck started full on laughing as they walked out the door, and Paul apologized quickly before closing the door.  
Tord sighed, face red. “I can't figure out which was worse, this or when they met Tom.”  
“It's okay dearie, I know immaturity when I see it.”  
Tord hesitated. “Can I ask or not?”  
There was a pause. “Go ahead.” The bowling ball replied. “Because you are so kind, you can ask whatever you like.”  
“Okay. Um. How are you… sentient, I guess?”  
“I was an experiment, it was an accident that I became sentient, and that's when I broke out.”  
Tord nodded, then thought for a moment. “How did uh.” He paused embarrassingly, then glanced at Tom.  
“How did I have a human child, as he's clearly not adopted?”  
Tord blushed and nodded.   
“I have human sentience. Therefore when I had a child, in a way I will not explain, it took the human genes and a tiny bit of my genes and his fathers genes to make him.”  
Yeah definitely not gonna question it. Too much.  
“That's all, but what's your name?”  
“You can call me Mrs. Ride. Our last name.” She responded to his curious look.  
She turned to Tom. “I approve of him. He's nice and he's adorable.”  
Tom rolled his eyes. Or at least, Tord thought he did, based on the movement of his eyelids. Whatever.  
“He's also my soulmate and didn't need approval.”  
“Don't be rude! I was just giving my input!”  
Tom sighed. “Sorry mom.” He got up. “So instead of awkwardly asking questions let's have something to eat.”  
Tord nods quickly. “Sure, what do you have?”  
“Steak. And a grill. Hmm I could make kabobs, we have those veggies mom.”  
She does a mental shrug, rolling slightly back and forth. “Whatever you want honey, make sure you are careful around the fire.”  
Tom nodded as Tord looked between them in surprise.   
“Wait Tom- you cook?”  
Tom raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”  
“Wow…” Tord just stared at him in amazement. “Is it any good?”  
“Of course it is look who's making it. Anyone with this physique must have some rad skills.”  
Tord rolled his eyes. “Okay show off. I could beat you at jeopardy anytime.”  
“You want to bet on it?”  
“Sure. How much you wagering?”  
“A cooking lesson.” Tom grinned.  
Tord narrowed his eyes. “Deal. But if I win, you're getting a chemistry lesson. Or basic military procedures, you decide.”  
The mother's “eyes” turn to him. “Military procedures?”  
“Uh…” Tord blushed. “My dad's have experience, and have taught me a few things.” Tom goes outside to fire up the grill.  
The ball rolled closer to him. “Since you are dating my son, there are a couple things I need you to know.”  
Suddenly the three holes glowed purple, and Tord moved back an inch or two, suddenly afraid.  
“If you get hurt, and if you break my sons heart, I will personally see to it that your life is plagued with nightmares.”  
Tord's eyes widened and he nodded quickly.  
“Neither of you are allowed to die, or I will bring you back to life and kill you myself.”  
Tord nodded again. She rolled back a little then did a little nod, holes going back to normal.  
“Alright, it looks like Tom’s got the grill almost ready. Could you get the steak and vegetables? Wash the vegetables, cut them up. And if your dad’s would be more appropriate I believe they are smoking outside.”  
Tord nodded and quickly went to the door, opening it. Sure enough, there was Paul, smoking a cigarette. Patryck was looking on disapprovingly as always. “Hey Pa and Paul. She said you can come in if you're appropriate.”  
They nodded and walked in, and Mrs. Ride turned toward them. “Oh! Hello dears, I don't think we've properly met. Would you like to take a seat?”  
The emphasis she put on those words made Patryck and Paul blush with shame, and they sat on the couch. Tord went and washed the vegetables as they made small talk, then chopped them (raggedly). When he was halfway done, he felt arms wrap around him, and Tom's hands covered his own. Tord blushed and almost backed away, but Tom's voice was in his ear, and he whispered instructions to cut cleaner.   
Tord didn't hear any of it, but he let Tom guide his hands to cut them properly.   
Tom came to his side and swept all of the vegetables into a strainer, where he tossed them with water and then let them sit to dry. “You want to come watch me cook the steak? Sounds boring, except I'll be there.” He winks and holds up a peace symbol before walking outside. Tord quickly followed him out. “It's not fair.”  
Tom glanced over his shoulder, getting the frozen steaks out. “What's not fair?”  
“You're taller than me.”  
“Yep. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a growth spurt. I'm not supposed to grow as much, only to about 5’8”. That's the guess anyway.”  
Tord raised an eyebrow. “Really? Ha. Shortie.”  
“Says the shorter one. It's just a guess, I could grow to be seven feet, who knows.”  
He flops two steaks on and watches them sizzle. “I'm only gonna cook them partially, the rest will cook when I make the kabobs themselves.”  
Tord nods. “Okay.”  
Tom turns to him curiously. “What's something you could teach me to do? Something fun.”  
Tord grinned. “Remember my bet to teach you a chemistry lesson? I meant a lab experiment. Believe me, that would be fun. Especially since it might explode. I'm not sure.”  
Tom grinned, but looked curious. “How could you not know?”  
Tord shrugged. “It's an experiment. Never done it before. Of course, I could do it all by myself. But that would be no fun.”  
“We'll have to see who wins the jeopardy then. Because I plan on teaching you how to make a three tier cake.” He sticks his tongue out teasingly.  
“Basically, a wedding cake.”  
Tord raised his eyebrows. “Well, then. We shall see indeed.”  
“Hey Tord look inside.”  
Tord looked confused but did. Then laughed.  
Paul and Patryck had their heads bowed, sitting on their feet, clearly being scolded by the bowling ball.  
“Almost no one can get them to bow their heads like that.”  
“Yeah, well, my mom's the mother of all mother bears. So I'm not so surprised. It's just funny.”  
Tord nods in agreement.  
“So. Who's making the jeopardy game?”  
Tord thought for a moment. “How about Pat-”  
“Hey, he’ll just tell you all the answers!”  
Tord shushed him. “I'm not finished. How about Pat works with your mom?”  
Tom raises his eyebrows. “You think they'll do it?”  
“As long as Pat learns not to be nosy, it shouldn't be a problem.”  
Tom flips the steaks. “These will be ready to cut soon. I'll take care of the rest of dinner, though. Go see if you can find a movie to watch.”  
Tord went inside, and Mrs. Ride let him browse the movies on Amazing.  
This was quickly turning into a date night.


	12. Sleepy Tord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've taken a while guys. Since summer started I've gotten this thing called a life.  
> For those of you out there who's don't have one, consider yourself lucky. It forces you to actually do things. It sucks.
> 
> Anyway yeah been a bit busy but here you go!

It ended up with Paul and Patryck on the reclining chair, Paul in Patryck's lap, off in their own little world. Snogging. Ew.  
At one point Mrs. Ride had shouted at them to leave when it started getting less appropriate and they did.  
Tord meanwhile was just curled up into Tom's side, Tom's arm over his shoulder, paying such rapt attention to the movie that he and Tom didn't notice anything else in the room.  
At least, until the ball had shouted, and Paul and Patryck left.  
They paused the movie. “What happened?”  
“It's okay dearie. Your parents act like hormone driven ruffians so I sent them out.”  
Tord cocked his head at this, but doesn't question further and just starts the movie again.  
The were watching Star Trek, since apparently Tom hadn't seen it.  
When the credits roll Tom asks if Tord wants to see the next one.  
He doesn't get a response.  
When he looks down at the red hoodied boy, head resting on Tom's chest, he's almost startled.  
Tord was asleep. His face was relaxed and his mouth was slightly open as he slept, arm in Tom's lap.  
Tom just watched him for a little while, not realizing his mom had how to bed already.   
Tord was absolutely adorable.  
Tom went ahead and started the next movie, but he was paying less attention to it, continuously gazing down at his sleeping soulmate.  
At some point Paul and Patryck came back, they'd gone out to wait in the car. They smiled at their sleeping Tord and Paul walked forward, whispering. “It's time to go home, we’ll carry him.”  
Tom blushed and moved his arm away, so he could pick Tord up. Tord curled unconsciously into Paul's chest, and Tom just stared at him as they walked out.  
He wrote a message for when his soulmate woke up.  
Which Tord did. And he woke up violently, calling out before he realized he was safe, he was with Paul and Patryck, he wasn’t back at that… place.   
Paul quickly came into his room and hugged his shaking body, letting Tord calm down in his arms. “It's okay buddy.” He whispered. “Nightmares happen to all of us, you're safe.”  
He continued to whisper affections and calm him, rubbing his back soothingly. After a little while, Paul realizes that Tord is falling asleep again. He shakes him gently. “Come sleep with us.” Tord mumbles something but starts to get up, stumbling after Paul out of the room. He crawls into bed between the two of them, Paul quickly whispering the situation to Patryck, and they cuddle around him. They fall asleep.  
Meanwhile, Tom’s woken up, at the same time, uneasy for a reason he can't understand. He slowly sinks back to sleep, unsure why he woke, unsure why he worried about Tord.  
Tord was shaken awake the next morning, and he sat up quickly, as though fearing an attack. “Wh-” he shook his head when he recognized where he was and rubbed his eyes, saying groggily, “sorry. M’ I late?”  
They pushed his back down, gently. “It's okay, just relax. You stayed up late yesterday.”  
Tord turned over. “Wh’t time is it?”  
“6:17. We aren't going to the military today, we're just going to take you to school.”  
Tord mumbled something.   
“Hey Tordie. Would You mind telling us what you dreamt about last night? If not that's fine, you can keep it to yourself.”  
Tord shuddered at the reminder, and mumbled. “It's the same as last time. Old memories.”  
Patryck rubs his shoulder sympathetically. “I get it. You know it'll never happen again? I'll personally murder anyone that lays a finger on you with ill intent.”  
Tord nods. “Yeah I know. It's fine now though. Besides, I have Tom now.”  
Somehow knowing Tom was there made him feel safe, and protected.  
His parents glanced at each other sadly. Their kid was growing up.  
“Alright Tordie, I think it's time to get up now.”  
Tord narrowed his eyes. “Don't call me that.” He sat up and patted Paul's shoulder, then got ready for the morning.  
He noticed the note from Tom when he was showering. “Goodnight liebe. You're cute when you're sleeping.”  
Tord laughed. He'd used German, as though Tord didn't already learn it. Tord was multilingual.   
Norwegian, Russian, German, and English.  
He wrote back a love note in German.   
Poor underestimating Tom.


	13. Tord is Badass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is late, Ive been busy the past few days  
> Also, I'm going to Poland tomorrow, till the 16th  
> I won't be able to write as much, but I'll try.

“Danke, Schatz... Du bist süß, wenn du mich unterschätzt ;) Na ja... eigentlich bist du ja immer süß <3 Ich hab's genossen, an deiner Seite zu schlafen. Hoffentlich wird sowas in der Zukunft häufiger vorkommen...!”  
Tom stared down at his arm. Wh… what? He only knew like three or four words in German. Seeing as this was clearly German…  
He blushed. That meant Tord saw what he wrote.  
He wrote “Translation? Please?”  
But there was no response. He decided to ask about last night. “Hey, I know this is weird, but I uh. I dunno, I had a weird gut feeling that something happened to you? Are you okay?”  
Tord didn't notice it, having spent the morning getting ready and watching a movie with Paul and Patryck.  
The doctors had told his parents, once when he hit his head, that they noticed a pattern that signaled a traumatic past.  
Paul and Patryck told him, and he said back that when Tord was a teen, with hormones and whatnot, that his past might cause a slight imbalance, making him prone to panic attacks.  
Therefore, any nightmare was freshened up with some movies, food, and cuddling. So far, Tord had never gotten one. But he was only barely starting to grow, and Paul and Patryck were on the lookout.  
Tord hated it, but he didn't mind at the same time. Mostly he just ignored it.  
He stretched when the movie finished and got ready for school.   
He was giddy with excitement. It almost felt as though any time he spent apart from Tom was a moment wasted.  
When he got to school, predictably, Tom was waiting for him in front of the library.  
Their social grouping had changed since Tom and Tord had started, dare he say it, dating.  
Tord and Tom were always touching, whether just brushing hands or leaning on one another or holding hands.  
Edd had become the teaser of the two. Mostly they all conversed, but if Tord and Tom started muttering to each other, or writing to each other, he would make a joke about them being lovey dovey or something.  
In this instance, Tord was just hugging Tom.  
“Awww lookit you cuties.” Edd teased, walking up.   
Matt was mostly too self absorbed to notice them. In fact, about twice a day he surprisedly asked if they were dating.  
They'd gotten used to it.  
Speak of the devil.  
Matt walked up, sipping a box of apple juice, and glanced at Tom and Tord, who were holding hands. “Are, uh…”  
“Yes, Matt, were dating.”  
Matt was already looking into his mirror, not paying attention. He wasn't forgetful, he just didn't really care. “Hey there, beautiful.”  
A girl walking past turned around in confusion, then uncertainly turned back around.  
During class Tord saw Tom's questions. He considered making him use google translate, but it wasn't always accurate. God knows that could be bad. So he wrote:  
“It means 'Thank you, treasure... You're cute when you underestimate me ;) ...Well actually, you're always cute <3 I enjoyed sleeping by your side. Hopefully it'll happen more often in the future...!'”  
He blushed, embarrassed, then went to the second. He hesitated.  
Should he- yeah, he should.  
He wrote, “I had a nightmare.”  
The responses came almost immediately after.  
“Wow. You're such a… the best word for it is squishy. What's the word?!”  
Tord blushed. “Uh. Squis-”  
“Oh yeah, you're a sap. Mushy gushy.”  
“A romantic, I think is the word you're looking for. And I'm not.”  
“Whatever. Anyway, what did you have a nightmare about?”  
Tord hesitated. He didn't want to relive it. But… shouldn't his soulmate know?  
“My parents.”  
“Paul and Pat? What, did they di-”  
“No my real parents. Before I was adopted.”  
“Oh.”  
“I always get nightmares about it. Last night was me being told I had to go back to them, and they took me and locked me in the basement, then stabbed me. I don't like talking about it.”  
“Jeez Tord! Agh I wish I was there, I would have cuddled you! Class or not!”  
“Thanks but you'd get in trouble. I'm fine now. It was just a dream.”  
“Was it?”  
Tord hesitated. Sure, he hadn't been sold back, but the basement…  
He was terrified of that basement.  
His silence was enough for Tom.  
“Go to the bathroom. You're in B-Hall, right?”  
Tord sighed. “Yes. Okay.”  
He asked the teacher for a pass, and she let him go. When he got into the bathroom he waited nervously. He didn't expect Tom to already be there.  
He felt arms wrap around him from behind and yelped, turning around quickly. Then realized who it was.  
He melted against Tom. He was also on the verge of tears. The fear had started to come back, gripping his chest, memories resurfacing. Usually Paul and Patryck would comfort him.  
Now it was Tom. They sunk to the bathroom floor as Tord quietly cried on Tom's shoulder, Tom somewhat awkwardly rubbing his back soothingly.  
Tord eventually calmed, and realized Tom was whispering in his ear.  
“I'm sorry for bringing it up. I'm sorry. It's my fault. You're okay. I'd never let anything happen to you.”  
Tord nuzzled his neck. He loved his boyfriend.   
He heard footsteps as someone came in, then ran back out again. He quickly looked behind him, but missed the not-intruder.  
He glanced at Tom, then tilted his head curiously, confused by his horrified expression. “Ah jeez Tord. Stay by me in PE.”  
Tord raised an eyebrow. “I will, but why?”  
“Because… Eduardo might give you a bit of trouble.”  
And trouble Tord got, the next day in the hallway. Eduardo approached him and pinned him against the wall. And sneered. “Kissing your gay lover in the bathroom, were you?”  
Tord gritted his teeth, shoving at his arm. If Eduardo didn't leave in a moment, he'd be leaving with a broken arm.  
“That's so girly. You homo.”  
Tord kicked his knee. Eduardo grunted, but didn't back off. “That's so gross. It's a good thing you didn't join our group, I wouldn't want to be infected with your gayness.”  
God, Tord was pissed. He was so pissed he ended up beating the crap out of Eduardo, shouting his hatred, and getting suspended for it.  
Tom got wind, and immediately wrote to him.   
But Tord was sullenly ignoring everyone. He couldn't stand people like Eduardo, digging into the spots that hurt worst. The sensitive subjects.  
Paul and Patryck were very annoyed with him sending Eduardo into the hospital with fractured ribs and a broken leg. At least, until he muttered the conversation to them.  
They were silent the rest of the ride home. Then Patryck left for about an hour. Paul stayed in his room, and Tord heard his shaky breathing, even from his room.  
He finally sighed and rolled up his sleeve.  
“Are you okay?! I heard you were suspended, something about Eduardo?!”  
“Tord?!”  
“Tord are you okay?!”  
Tord sighed and messaged back. “Yeah I'm fine. He caught me in the hallway and…”  
Tord paused. He didn't want Tom to get arrested for killing Eduardo. He also, now that he thought about it, hoped that wasn't what Patryck was doing.  
Nah, he was probably just mad at Tord. Tord didn't care. He felt like Eduardo deserved it.  
“And what?”  
“Said some things… I fractured his ribs and broke his leg.”  
“Holy horse ghost in a window! Seriously?!”  
“Yeah.”  
“What did he say?!?”  
“Um… he just insulted gay people. Basically treated me like filth.”  
“Oh. Which hospital is he at?”  
“What? No, you can't kill him. I don't know.”  
“Fine. Let's just hope he doesn't show up at school again.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Hey Tord? Are you feeling pressure at your sides? That's my arms hugging you from afar.”  
Tord rolled his eyes. “Sure.”  
“Good. Anyway, how did your uh, dad's, react? Did you tell them?”  
“Yeah, I-” he heard the door open, Pat was back. “Sorry, brb”  
He rolled his sleeve down and walked out, ready to apologize and feeling better after talking to his soulmate.  
He was not expecting Patryck to be carrying an Oreo ice cream cake, a wrapped present, and a huge grin.  
“What… it's not my birthday.”  
“I know!”  
“And it's not Christmas.”  
“Nope!”  
Tord was very confused. “Then why… it's not Paul's birthday is it?”  
“Nope!”  
Tord stared at him, dumbfounded, until Patryck felt out the things in his hand to Tord. “It's for you! I'm so proud of you, for defending yourself and sticking with your soulmate, that I'm celebrating! Let's watch that movie we wouldn't let you see because you're too young.”  
He sets the stuff down, holds out the present to Tord. Tord takes it, his confusion turning into a grin. “Don't open it, I'll be right back. I know Paul would have taken this harshly, his parents disowned him for having a gay soulmate.”  
He rolled his eyes and raced off to his room.  
They came out a few minutes later, laughing and grinning, and sat on the couch. “Come on Tord, bring the cake will you?” Paul asked, looking not as glum, his voice a little more ragged than normal.  
“We’ll pull up the movie and you can open your present. If you're going to be out of school we may as well enjoy it.”  
Tord rolled his eyes and grinned. Typical.  
He got a visit from Tom and his mom, where his mom wanted to him about being put in a dangerous situation for about ten minutes, then said this very touching thing.  
“I want you to be safe, because you're like a son to me, and I don't want you to be hurt.”  
She then pressed into his arm and he gave her a hug, and she complimented him on his defensive skills. They watched a movie together, Tom spending the night while his mom teleported back home. A special skill for becoming sentient.  
They cuddled all night, not sleeping a bit. Just giggling and talking about nothing.  
They slept through half the next day, then Paul and Patryck came back from the army to take them swimming, then dropped Tom back off.  
When Tord came back to school the next week, everyone clapped for him as he came in the lunchroom.  
He grinned, blushing, and sat down, trying to ignore his newfound fame at beating up the bully.  
Eduardo wouldn't be back at school for another two days.  
And he couldn't charge Tord because he'd attacked Tord first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be ending soon. It'll be a good ending though, and we still have a few chapters left don't worry.


	14. A/N

THERE WILL BE A SHORT HIATUS   
Until July 17th  
When I get back from Poland  
Because I have no time for anything here.  
I'm sorry I will continue after I promise


	15. Secret Bet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys the time skips start now, meaning we go week at a time to the important events.  
> Sorry I was gone so long!

\--Time Skip #1--   
A few weeks later, and a couple dates at each other's houses, it was Tord's birthday.  
So Tom decided to make it special.  
He took Tord to a movie, then they walked across the street to eat at an Italian restaurant.  
It was the first time neither of their parents monitored them.  
They ate pasta and pizza and were waiting on the step for Paul and Pat to pick them both up.  
Tom seemed awfully quiet, and Tord wondered what was on his mind. Tom was usually the one to keep conversations going, so the sounds of night and cars were the only ones filling the silence.  
“Can…” Tom stopped, seeming conflicted. “I, uh…”  
Tord just waited, curious.  
“C-can I kiss you?”  
Tom blushes and looks down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers.  
Tord blushes. “I- ahhh..”  
He was startled by the question. “I, uhm. Yeah.”  
He turned toward Tom nervously and was glad when Tom made it quick, although they crashed together harder than Tom meant to, and he pulled away flustered and embarrassed. “Gah I'm sorry I was so nervous and I-”  
Tord leaned toward him and kissed him again, making it softer and a couple seconds long, then pulled away.  
“It's okay it doesn't have to count. That one does though. Definitely. Haha I did it first.” Tord stuck his tongue out teasingly and Tom scowled at him.  
“So not fair! I had the guts to do it first-”  
“But that one doesn't count so I win.”  
“We didn't have a bet or anything!”  
“I bet my parents did.”  
“Ohhhh no don't tell them. Who knows how they'll react-”  
“Haha no I'm telling them. Definitely.”  
Tom smirked. “I bet you'll be too embarrassed.”  
“Will not.”  
“We'll see I suppose.”  
“Yeah.”  
Pat and Paul pulled up to the curb and Paul opened the door for them like a chauffeur.  
Tord blushed and got in, silent the whole way back to his house. Tom was spending the night, since his mom was working a night shift, and Paul and Pat let them stay up watching movies till 2 in the morning.  
Tord woke up, not expecting to be laying on top of Tom on his couch. He sat up quickly, accidentally waking Tom, who groaned and covered his eyes, wanting to go back to sleep.  
“Toooord why did you wake me uuuuuup?”  
“Sorry!” Tord whispered. “I didn't know you were asleep- well, I didn't- I forgot you were here!”  
“Hmm. Well I'm up now I guess. What time is it?”  
Tord glanced at a clock. “Uh. Eight.”  
“Hmm.”  
Tom sat up a bit and leaned on his elbows, as Tord was still sitting on his legs.  
“Where's Paul and Pat?”  
“Oh, probably at work.”   
Tom raised an eyebrow. “Where do they work?”  
“Uh…” Tord sighed. “Fine, hold on a sec.”  
He got up off the couch, sitting back down next to Tom's head and pushing the tip of the armrest aside to show a secret controller built in. He presses a few buttons, and there was a whirring in the wall.  
“Sorry, we have mics in case of intruders and I can't let them hear what I'm gonna tell you.”  
“Woah woah wait. Is this something you're allowed to tell me?”  
“Ehhh… no.”  
“I don't want you to get in trouble!”  
“Psh it's fine as long as you never tell anyone. You're good at keeping secrets, right?”  
“Uh, yeah? I probably have more secrets than you do.”  
“HA! You could never have more secrets than me. Believe me.”  
“Wanna bet?”  
“Definitely. How about this? Over the years, we reveal our secrets one by one. By the end of your list of secrets or mine, whoever ends first has to give the other a hundred thousand dollars.”  
“Woah that's a lot.”  
“You scared?”  
Tom narrowed his eyes. “Oh it's on. Fine, tell me this thing.”  
“Oh. Yeah. So they work for the Red Army, basically an army designed to take over the world with communism and stuff. Paul and Pat are Leaders, uh, right hand men? Meaning they're mostly in charge of the troops, while the leader is in charge of them.”  
Tom was gaping at him.  
“Stop that. Lemme finish. Anyway, they captured Norway and I think half of Sweden so far. But they're spreading into the UK simply for power. Uhhh, also, I go usually every morning to work out, hear the updates, stuff like that. I saw a battle once, but I was forbidden from being closer than a mile away. It was cool, lots of explosions. Hmm. Oh, those are the people I was playing soccer with.”  
Tom was still gaping at him.  
“Okay okay close your mouth you have bits of food in your teeth and it's disgusting.”  
Tom closes his mouth, narrowing his eyes a little at the comment. Then he opens it again, to speak.  
“How in the world do I not know about this? They're taking over the world?!?”  
“Uh, yeah? They've been doing it for a couple decades now. It's a stealth operation.”  
“Norway? Isn't that where you're from?”  
“Yeah, that's kinda why they took that place first. Leader is from Sweden, but when Paul and Pat rescued me they convinced him to take over Norway, where they now have full control.”  
“Did they find your-”  
“Biological makers? Yeah. But that's a secret for another time.”  
Tom pouted when Tord turned the mics back on, unable to ask more. Yet.


	16. Nervous...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an existential crisis earlier today where I wondered what path in life would lead to something other than repetition and eventually death, couldn't think of anything, and considered exploring the unknown early.  
> (Aka death.)  
> Seeing as I would never be able to actually do anything I didn't seriously consider it, I just wondered.   
> Aaaaaanyway enough depressing stuff! I hope you like!

Tom was gaping for about ten minutes straight when Paul and Patryck invited him to come visit the army base. Tord had told them that he told Tom about the Red Army, and they weren't mad like they thought he would be. In fact, they asked him what took so long.  
So then they invited him to the base, and Tord was almost as shocked as Tom.  
Except he didn't leave his mouth hanging open. Tom eventually whispered “Will someone kill me if I do?”  
Patryck grinned, but his grin had an underlayer of malice. “I would love to see someone try.”  
“Alright come on Tom, you look stupid.” Tord playfully shoved his shoulder and stood. “You're coming tomorrow morning, since you're spending the night tonight.” Tord glanced at Paul. “Can we stay the whole day?”  
Paul thought for a moment, then looked at Patryck to decide. Patryck sighed. “Usually I would make you go to school, but since it's special… I'll have Leader contact the school.”  
Tord tilted his head. “Special because Tom's going?”  
“Hmm that's one part. It's a surprise.”  
They grinned at him.  
The next morning Tom ate breakfast with them and got in the mecha, since it was needed in a smaller battle today. Tom was still fascinating over the mech’s controls when they were lowered into the garage, He stared around with wide eyes, taking everything in.  
They were about to get out when Tord grabbed Tom's shoulder, and Tom turned to face him.  
“Tom, whatever you do, stay with me, Paul, and Patryck. Please, I don't want anyone else getting ahold of you.”  
“Why would-”  
“Don't- I just- we had a bad experience before, so please stay with us.”  
Tom looked at him for a moment then nodded. Tord smiled and cupped his face, tilting his head a little. “You have… beautiful eyes.” Tord lowered his hand, about to walk away, when Tom grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward, connecting their lips for a second.   
He smiled as they turned and walked down the stairs, Paul and Patryck waiting at the bottom.   
“You have pretty eyes too, you sap.”  
Tord was blushing and fidgeting with his hands the first few minutes they walked inside, Paul and Patryck murmuring to each other the whole time and grinning at Tord, their son, all grown up. Kinda.  
They went into their office, where Tom immediately scurried around, trying to see EVERYTHING. Tord rolled his eyes after a while and grabbed him by his waistline, pulling him down into the chair next to him.  
“Calm down pretty boy, we haven't even had morning initiation yet.”  
Tom stuck his tongue out and sat more comfortably, then peeked over Tord's shoulder at his drawings. “Sketchbook?”  
Tord automatically closes it and narrowed his eyes at Tom, then sighed and opened it up again. “Yeah, kinda.”  
“Why’s there a lot of math?”  
“Calculations for things, ideas.”  
“What's that?” Tom pointed at what looked like a doodle, and Tord smirked and rolled his eyes.  
“Tattoo idea.”  
“A robot arm?”  
“Yeah.”  
Tom grinned, and held out his arm. “Draw it on me.”  
Tord rolled his eyes again and put his sketchbook aside, bringing Tom's arm closer.  
Tom tilted his head. “Don't you need the notebook?”  
“I have near photographic memory. I know what it looks like.”  
He noticed as he drew that the lines showed up on his own skin. Then decided it didn't matter.  
He drew an arm showing the inner workings, without the metal plate covering it that robots would actually have, and added touch sensors to the tips of the fingers.  
He lifted his pen when he heard footsteps, then quickly put his sketchbook under his chair, dropped Tom's arm, and stood up respectfully just as Leader walked in.  
He saluted, and Leader smiled down at him.   
“Hello Leader.”  
“Hi there, Tord.” He ruffles Tord's hair affectionately, making Tord scowl, and more formally greets Paul and Patryck.  
Then he sees Tom, who stands anxiously, not knowing the salute.  
“Who's this?” Leader's voice hardens, eyes narrowing.  
Tord blushes and steps closer to Tom, almost defensively. “He's, uh…”  
Leader shot a look at Paul and Patryck, who muttered to each other.  
Tom put his hand on Tord's shoulder and stepped forward. “I'm his soulmate.” He looked defiantly into Leaders eyes, and there was a heavy two seconds of silence.  
“Oh, Tom! I've heard about you! Tord likes to talk about you a lot.”  
Tord blushed more and stepped back, almost behind Tom. Tom laughed, relieved by Leaders positive reaction, and nudged Tord with his shoulder. “Come on, if anyone's hiding it should be me.”  
Leader laughed with him and gestured to Paul and Pat.   
“I'll be right back, I have a sort of… promotion, for you Tord.”  
Tord raises his eyebrows and smiled sheepishly, suddenly excited.  
They left for a little bit, and Tord sighed in relief, leaning against his boyfriends arm. “I was nervous. I didn't know my parents didn't tell him, and he tends to punish intruders, uh, badly.”  
Tom looked worried now, until Tord nuzzled his shoulder reassuringly. “He won't hurt you now, not if you're my soulmate.”  
Tom grinned and ruffled his hair, making Tord yelp and duck away. “Why does everyone do that?!?”  
“Because you're cute when you try to avoid it.” Tom sticks his tongue out teasingly, then glances up as Leader walks back in, grinning widely.  
Tord stood up straight as Leader walked over to him and stood in front of Tord. And knelt.  
Tord shivered as his gaze turned serious. “I'm going to tell you something I think we both know. You may be young, but you are one of the cleverest people I know, and I can see your potential for leadership.” He smiled wryly. “I've noticed the bloodthirsty looks you give me behind your back, and I know what you aspire to do someday.” Tord's breath stopped, fearful. “That's good. Ambition gets you far. But if you're going to kill me, you may as well be ready to take the job.” Leader stands back up. “I'm taking you on as my apprentice.”  
Tom just… looked between the two of them, expression unreadable.  
Tord was slowly getting his breath back, realizing Leader wasn't going to kill him for his ambitions, then nodded, letting a smile slip onto his face. “I would be honored.”  
“Good. We practice all day every weekend, and no one else is to know about this. Who knows what they'd do to an untrained kid like you, eh?”  
Tord grumbled as Leader ruffled his hair and started to walk away, then realized something.  
He stepped forward. “Leader?”  
Leader turned slightly. “Yes?”  
“What about when I kill you? What I'm not ready?”  
Leader laughs. “When you are capable of killing me, I will know you are ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments fuel my fics X3  
> Also! Just about (not sure) Three or four more chapters! I promise the end will not be wasted!!!


	17. Over Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER!!!  
> There's LOTS of time skips in this, showing growth through middle an for high school.  
> NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST!!!

\--A couple years later---  
Tom and Tord held hands in front of their new school.  
High school.  
Scary.  
They grinned at each other, then walked in together. They had the same schedules, because they were soulmates.   
\--- A little bit of time later---  
“Come on Tooooom.” Tord pulled at his boyfriends hand, into the training room they'd built into the house last year. It was large, including a gun shooting booth thing, a mat for hand on hand battle practice, an array of different guns, swords, knives.  
An armor area. A virtual training area.  
Overall, it was pretty impressive.  
“Okay okay okay look! Leader got this for me specially.”  
He showed off his new gun. “And the best part is, I wrote the design!”  
“Nice… how is it different from the other guns?”  
“Ita actually a normal gun in disguise. It can turn into a laser gun.”  
Tord grinned and pressed a button, and the gun transformed, then shot a laser beam at the wall.  
“Oh. Oops.” He quickly put the gun away. “Anyway, Leader is adding another factor into my training. I'm going to invent things now, and learn the mechanics and stuff. I'm really excited! Someday, I want to build a giant robot.”  
“You already have a mecha.”  
“I want something cooler. With more function. Maybe lasers.” Tord grinned and held his new gun up. Tom smiled, tilting his head. “Alright, commie.”  
\---Sophomore year---  
“Yayyyy! I'm so excited!” Tord grinned at Tom, who was walking behind him, looking expressionless.  
He'd had that same face most of the time recently. Since his mom had fallen off the staircase and broken in half.  
Tord learned to recognize his moods, though, and turned around, cupping his boyfriends face. “Hey.”  
Tom closed his eyes, leaning into his hand.  
“It'll be okay. We're gonna have fun! Plus, I'm gonna spice it up a little.” Tord grinned. “So come on, let's play paintball. I'll make sure not to shoot at you.” Tord winked.  
“You're not seriously doing it.”  
“Yep! I brought my guns. It's gonna be a bloodbath.”  
Tom sighed, not really caring, and Tord leaned forward and kissed him for a few seconds.  
“You don't have to play. You can watch.”  
“No, I'll play. Just… don't get hurt. Please.”  
Tord nodded, and they charged into the arena, guns blazing.  
\---A little bit more later---  
Tord and Tom stood anxiously back to back, waiting for the verdict.  
“Ah, gosh it's a close one. What do you think, Pat?”  
“It's close, but hmm…”  
He put a hand on both of their heads, flattening the hair down. “Yep.”  
“Ah!”  
“Yep, our tordie is definitively higher than you Tom.”  
“YES!! HAHA FINALLY!”  
Tom narrowed his eyes. “Great. Just great.”  
Tord poked his cheek. “I'm taller than you! Hahahaaaaaa!”  
He celebrated around the room, giving his parents a high five.  
Tom pulled out his flask and spoke up from the corner. “Does this mean we have to change positions?”  
Tord immediately stopped celebrating, red faced, and glared at him. “Shut up Tom!!!”  
Tom just smirked, Paul and Pat cracking up where they were.  
Assuming it was a joke. Haha. Naive idiots.  
“Alright but seriously, Tom, what have we told you about the flask?”  
He put it away furtively.  
\---Senior year---  
“You shut up about my soulmate!” Tom shouted at the two offenders. He didn't know them well, they'd joined school just last year, and only had lunch with him.  
Tord had taken a sick day, and they had walked up and asked him where they were, joking that maybe he had aids, or maybe he was pregnant.  
“We won't shut up if we don't want to.”  
“Then talk about something else! You're not as funny as you think you are!”  
They grinned down at him, his height giving him a disadvantage.  
“You wanna take this outside, freak?”  
Tom gritted his teeth and stormed out of the lunchroom. He hadn't intended to fight them, but they attacked him from behind, slamming him against the wall and beating him black and blue.  
He tried to fight back, but they overpowered him, until he was stuck feebly trying to protect himself.  
The teachers finally pulled them off, and he was sent home for the day.  
Home. No one knew his mom was dead, as no one knew who his mom was. So he lived alone, food and money coming from Paul and Patryck. They'd offered to let him live with them, but he declined. However great that would be, he felt responsible not to give up his home.  
Tord found him the next day, at home, and while Paul and Patryck cared for him, Tord ranted to Tom fearfully, then they hugged, then cuddled, then watched movies all day.  
Tom was looking slightly better the day after, his swollen eye receded, and able to walk without wincing. He was lucky he hadn't broken bones or knocked out teeth.  
They went to school, Tord clinging to Tom all day.  
When the bullies came at lunch (not suspended?!? Stupid school) to inquire to Tord's nonexistent pregnancy, Tord gave them a long talk that sent them away looking like they'd met the devil.  
They never messed with them again.  
\---Time---  
Edd tilted his head. “You want to live with me? I need help paying the rent.” Tom grinned. If he was needed, not wanted, then who was he to say no?  
\---After graduation---  
Tord had competed in matches against Leader many times, to train, or twice to challenge him. Tord had learned that Leader was a lot stronger than he thought at first.  
But he thought he had a chance now.  
So he challenged Leader in broad daylight, in front of the entire army, out on the soccer field.  
And they fought for a while. Neither of them could hit the other, and it was several hours later that Leader shot Tord in the arm.  
Tord gripped his arm, surprised, and Leader stood over him. “Are you done? Listen, we can do this late-”  
He stopped.  
Then choked.  
Having been shot in the chest, close range. Then, after he fell, again in the head.  
Tom stood nearby. Now he knew what Tord meant by “Today is a special day. Come to the army.”  
He watched Tord smile, then turn to the army- HIS army, and raise his arms. “I am your leader now! I am in charge, and anyone who- ow.” He lowered his injured arm. “Anyone who goes against me will be killed.” He grinned.  
He'd already told Paul and Patryck that he would keep them as his seconds in command, and invited Tom to join the army.   
Tom had refused. He wasn't interested, yet.  
And Tord's reign, and ever increasing territory, began.  
\---Two years later---  
Tom found writing on his arm. “Meet me at the skate park. I have a surprise for you.”

*To be concluded next chapter--->*


	18. A Special Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus Christ my heart was pounding the whole time a wrote this. Thank you all so much for reading all of this! This is the last chapter, I tried to make it worth it and not fuck it up, so I hope I succeeded! I'm satisfied with it, this whole fic was a lot of fun to write.  
> 

Tord seemed very nervous when Tom met him at the entrance to the skate park. He kept deflecting conversation and putting his hands in his pockets.  
“Uh. Tord, what's wrong?”  
“Nothing! I… sorry, I'll try to make this a good day. Did you bring your skateboard?”  
“Yes, Tord. I brought my skateboard to a skate park.”  
“Oh. I didn't. I don't have one.”  
Tom raised an eyebrow. “You wanna-”  
“No no I have my bike. Gah! Sorry.” They walked out to the park itself, and they played around on their wheely devices, Tord lightening up enough to have fun. They took a break and went to lunch, at a nearby deli, then went to Tom's house. It was all pretty improv, doing whatever they wanted at the time.  
“Hey Tom let's go to the movies.”  
“Sure. What movie?”  
“Return of the Insane Zombie Pirates from Hell 2”  
“The first one was so cheesy though.”  
“This one looks good! Fine, you choose one then.”  
“Hmmmmm…” Tom looked over. “Nah I like your idea. What time?”  
“6. Then we can go to the French place, since it'll be about dinner time then.”  
“Noooo dinner’s at 5:30. We've HAD this conversation.”  
Tord stuck his tongue out teasingly. “It'll be at 8 today, sucker.”  
“Fine, but we still have to eat something beforehand.”  
“Maybe something small.”  
Tord blushed for no reason. Tom noted this but didn't comment.  
“Alright. What'll we do until our spontaneous date? Oh, you had a surprise for me?”  
Tord blushed more and opened his mouth, then shook his head. “We just planned it out.”  
“Oh. Spontaneous date. Well, you won't see me complaining.”  
Tom leaned in and pecked his boyfriend on the cheek.  
“Thanks.”  
“N-no problem.”  
They cuddled and rewatched the first movie, then played some first-person-shooters together. Around 5, Tord left to get dressed and showered for the movie, then picked up Tom, both now dressed semi fancy, and went to the movie. After grabbing a bite at a fast food place.  
Tom listened to Tord rant afterward about how good it was, but how he didn't approve of the relationship.  
“It's an apocalypse! They're not supposed to fall in love! It ruined the whole rest of the movie. I thought for sure he was gonna kill her, and he should have too! Good riddance! Then when Robbie was aiming the sniper at him, I thought it was going perfectly. But no! He had to get a whole change of heart! It's bullshit Tom!”  
“Mhmm. You know if we rant in the parking lot any longer we're never going to eat.” Tord blushed and unlocked the car. “Sorry.”  
He drove them to the restaurant, and like any fancy restaurant it took half an hour for the food to come.  
“So, Tord, why have you been so jittery all day?”  
“Uh…” Tord gritted his teeth and fidgeted with one of the three forks there.  
“It's not important.”  
“Really?” Tom raised his eyebrows skeptically.  
“Yeah…”  
“Is it because you didn't ask if I was free today first? Cause I don't care.”  
Tord shook his head. “No it's not that…”  
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It's not important. I'll tell you later.”  
“Ooooo- are you gonna reveal another secret?”  
Tord rolled his eyes. “There's not many more I could tell you. There's only like, two science experiments you don't know about, and one of them isn't really a secret, just research on fixing wounds by melting flesh together harmlessly. Not a big deal. The other…” he hesitates. “I'll probably never tell you unless I really have to. It's destructive and you definitely wouldn't approve, but it's not a problem unless something goes wrong. I promise I won't get hurt or anything.”  
Tom narrowed his eyes. Suspicious…  
“Well I don't have many to begin with, especially not compared to you. You already learned that I drank alcohol before I was legal, and Susan isn't as big a deal as your secrets anyway. My hatred of Christmas came pretty easily, and at the moment I can't think of anything else.”  
Tord seemed to only half be paying attention.  
“Ah there's our food.”  
They got their food from le fancy waiter and dug in. Fancily dug in, of course. Using all three forks.  
Tord ate a couple bites, but didn't seem to have much of an appetite. He asked for the rest to go, and waited patiently for Tom to finish, slipping back into ranting about the movie again.  
When Tom had eaten his fill and they got the rest boxed, then headed out into the parking lot.  
Tord fidgeted for a full minute, before taking a deep breath and holding his hand out to Tom. “Come with me.”  
Tom raised his eyebrows and complied, Tord dragging him to the park.  
It was dark, of course, but the park was holding a light show for its 40th month anniversary. Tord held Tom's hand for a while as they watched, the pretty lights reflecting through the pond and making the whole thing seem to glow.  
Finally, Tord spoke up, pulling Tom's attention away. “How long since we started dating, Tom?”  
He didn't actually need to ask. It was on his calendar, and he wouldn't forget when he first learned about his soulmate.  
“Um. About eeeiiiight years? Why?”  
Tord opened his mouth to speak, blushed, closed his mouth, then opened it again.  
“It's been eight good years, I think. Lots of stress maybe, with me being the leader of an army. And high school. And all that. And I know you didn't want to join my army, that you're not ready. Or maybe just not interested. But…” Tord gritted his teeth, pulling his hand away and putting it in his pocket, turning to face Tom.  
“M-maybe you could join me I-in a different way? Tom, uh…” he knelt down, then held up a small box, opening it to reveal a ring with five tiny jewels embedded. Emeralds. “Will you marry me?”  
Tom looked shocked as though he'd been punched in the face.  
Then he looked like christma- like his birthday had come early. Like ten of his birthdays had come early.  
“Holy gold in a glue gun you're not pulling my leg.” His grin was so wide it almost didn't seem possible. “Yes, a thousand times yes. Yes yes yes yes yes oh my god.”  
Tord leapt to his feet and hugged Tom, then took the ring out and put it on his finger. “Oh wow it fits. I was worried it wouldn't.”  
He suddenly let out a shuddering breath and plopped down in the grass. “God I was so scared.”  
Tom plopped next to him and wrapped his arms around his boyfr- his fiancé.  
“Tord you made me so happy. I was wondering why you were so nervous all day. It makes sense now, and I couldn't have had a better surprise!”  
Tord laughed shakily then wiped a tear away. “Sorry. Nerves.”  
“Don't say sorry! You have nothing to be sorry for.”  
They happily/shakily chatted for another hour before going to Tom's house and celebrating with random leftover cake until 2 in the morning.  
\---a few months later, in a dressing room in the church---  
Tord paced back and forth, dressed up in a tuxedo and agitated. His hands gripped his hair, and he spoke feverishly to his dad's, who were in there with him. “I can't do it I can't do it what if I mess something up? What if I faint up there?! What if the ring actually DOESNT FIT?!?”  
“Tord, you and Tom have tried on the rings like twenty times, they're going to fit. Now get your hands out of your hair before you mess it up!”  
Patryck swatted his arm to punctuate his words, before finishing tying his tie. “Alright, remember. You'll be walking up with me, and Paul will be following close behind with flower girl's mom.”  
“I- I know. What if I trip? Pa, I'm so scared.”  
“I know. Listen. No one is going to judge you up there, it's just some of the higher ranked officers, and the two of us. And Edd and Matt to be your best men. And Edd's sister. Listen, it'll be fine.”  
“I don't care about any of them! I care about Tom!”  
“Tom will love you no matter how it goes!!! If you trip and fall on your face, if you smash the wedding cake, he won't care! He gets to see you, he gets to commit to you. That's all that matters. Now, I have to fix your hair, then in a couple minutes we'll be going out there. Try to have a good time! It's an important day of your life, remember? Have fun! If something goes wrong, laugh it off! It'll be fine, and it'll be no good if you spend it all worrying about what other people are thinking. Worry about what you're thinking!”  
Tord nodded, swallowing nervously, and Paul laughed. “He's never this nervous about sending people off to battle, or going to battle himself! But once it comes to loooove he's all nerve wracked.”  
Tord narrowed his eyes at Paul and Pat shushed him. “I was in the middle of a very important pep talk! Alright Tord, just like rehearsal, we have one minute. Come on!”  
Patryck tugged him to the door, and Tord hooked his hand on Patryck's arm, trying to take deep breaths and not hyperventilate.  
Finally the doors opened for them, and Tord stared up the aisle at Tom, struck by how handsome he looked.  
‘Keep your eyes on him.’ His mind told him, so he did, smiling shyly at Tom as he took shaky but even steps down the aisle, then let go of his dad to stand across from Tom.  
Tom, of course, had a checkered tie. Tord had a red tie with a white symbol of Red Leader. Just to point that out.  
A few people walked down the aisle then sat down, and the preacher started talking.  
Tord heard two words; “Now today…” before all of them blurred together. He could stop looking at Tom.  
Tom's eyes were half lidded like usual, and he smiled at Tord, making Tord shiver.  
Suddenly he heard his name, and looked up at the preacher. Not actually a preacher, it was a second ranking commander. Close enough.  
“Repeat after me.” Tord repeated the words, feeling like a robot, then listened as Tom repeated them.  
“Tord, do you promise…”  
“I do.”  
“Tom, do you promise…”  
“I do.”  
“Then you may kiss the groom.”  
Tord was about to move forward when Tom gently pulled him down by his tie and kissed him.  
There were some laughs in the crowd, and some “awwwww”’s, then applause.  
Then they were dismissed for the reception.  
Tord had a blast. He had to keep Tom from getting drunk at the beginning, but since all pleasantries were gone with his soldiers for the day, and since Matt accidentally faceplanted the cake (AFTER everyone had gotten a slice, luckily) it was really fun.  
Tord even danced with some of them, but mostly he saved that for Tom.  
“So.” Edd said, sidling up to Tord, who was getting another piece of cake from the undamaged side.  
“Where are you going for the honeymoon?” Edd wiggled his eyebrows, and Tord blushed. “Ahh, um, Norway.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, Paul and Pat are dropping us off in their plane, and taking us back. We'll be there for a week.”  
“Nice. I'd make a joke about having LOTS of fun, but something tells me it wouldn't be your first time.”  
Tord glares at him. “Shut up Edd.”  
Ed laughed. “You shouldn't have invited me over that one time then.”  
“I forgot you were coming! It's not my fault.”  
“Heh heh heh sure.”  
“So, when are you gonna get a boy? Well, boy or girl, you know.”  
Edd shrugged. “Not really thinking about it right now, and-”  
“Hey guys.” Tom walked over and sipped his flask. “Sup?”  
“Just talking about the honeymoon.” Tord said.  
Edd snickered. “Yep. That's it.”  
Tom raised an eyebrow. “I see. Well, anyway, I requested a song from the DJ. He's putting it on next.” Tom elbowed Tord. “Don't hate me too much.”  
“What? Why would I…?”  
The current song ended, then came the upbeat tune Tord knew only too well. Tom snickered and ran off, Tord chasing, as “Sunshine lollipops and, rainbows, everything that's wonderful~” played overhead.  
As payback Tom had to sing and play Susan for them.  
All in all, it was a perfect wedding, and a start to a whole new chapter.

~~ Bonus ~~  
A few weeks after the honeymoon, Tord walked into the kitchen of their flat, looking worried. Tom was cooking breakfast, and he looked over his shoulder. “Tord? What's up?”  
“Hey, uh, Tom? I think I'm pregnant.”

\--THE END--

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like, this is not a one shot. More chapters will come soon. Hope they're as long as this one.


End file.
